The Parting of Ways
by FlysWithNoWings
Summary: Formerly Prince Caspian My Way. What if someone had been holding onto the Pevensies when Narnia reopened to them? Would she go too? Well of course she would, this is the tale of the Kings and Queens of old plus Addye. PxOC CxS. Movie Verse. Complete.
1. Preface

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Addye, Rayne, and James (And yes I promise you, though this chapter may seem pointless now there is a reason to it.)

She rolled over in her sleep. Digory Kirke watched his niece sleep fitfully, rolling to and fro and calling different names at random.

"Rayne," she finally murmured, "Don't hurt her..."

Digory reached his hand out to her as she whimpered from the memory. Tears ran down her cheeks and still she begged the unseen antagonist not to hurt Rayne over and over again. Then she screamed as if in pain thrashing desperately. Digory restrained her as she screamed, kicked, and punched in her dream state. She opened her eyes for the first time in months and Digory saw the confused young girl who had come to live with him when her caregiver, her grandmother, had passed away. He released her and she sat up gasping for air clutching her chest.

"Rayne?" she whimpered.

"She's gone Addye."

She shook her head desperately trying to fight the tears, "No, no, no..."

Addye rocked forwards and backwards, "No, no, no, no, no...she's not gone, she's not gone...no...no..."

Digory gently patted her back as tears formed in his eyes.

"Addye," the old man whispered.

"I want my sister!" she screamed desperately.

"Addye you're not well lay down."

Addye trembled holding herself in her arms as she sobbed, "I want my sister."

Digory pulled Addye into his arms the way he had when she'd been the six year old that had been placed into his custody. She clung to his nightshirt and sobbed into his neck on that hospital bed.

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"_July 12, 1941. The day the world stopped turning, the day my heart started burning. Why must this fall on me, I know it's my fault you had to leave. How could you do that for me. Why did you do that for me, now all my heart does is bleed. Won't you just come back to me? Please?_.....No that was miserable it's I, me, my. It's supposed to be about her." Addye sighed and began trying think up more songs.

The sun was just rising, illuminating everything on the ground to life.

Digory opened the door to her room and peaked in. To see Addye sitting up in her bed looking out the window. His daughter hadn't been the same upbeat cheerful girl since the loss of her sister. She was always in her room or her sisters room just staring out the window. She hardly talked anymore and it had been a year. She needed to escape, the marks of her sister were still here and he feared she'd do something drastic if she didn't get out. The opportunity came in a month, this year he couldn't home school her so she'd have to go away. The Pevensies were going to a boarding school so he had signed her up as well. They'd been friends and hopefully they still were.

"Addye," the elderly man sat slowly next to her on the bed.

She turned her head to him, "It's been a year."

Digory sighed, "So it has been."

The seventeen-year-old traced the lines on her quilt, "The whole world was celebrating while we were grieving."

Digory placed a hand on her shoulder, "We need to talk."

She started at him pointedly, "We already are."

Digory laughed, "No, it's more about your education. I'm not going to be able to teach you next year. We're running low on money and I'm probably going to have to sell the house, so I'm sending you to a boarding school with some of the money your parents and grandmother left you after their deaths."

Addye stared at him, horrified, "Use the money on the debt notices, use it to pay bills for electricity, but don't send me away. Not from this house, not from her memory. Not away from her."

Digory shook his head, "You need to get away from here, you need time to recuperate."

Addye had tears forming in her eyes, "Da...Da please no. I..I'm fine really, please. I'll go out I'll go see some of my friends, Da don't send me away!"

Digory sighed, "If I thought you were over it I wouldn't send you away, but this is for your own good. Because I love you and care about you."

Addye violently shook her head, "If you loved me you wouldn't send me away, if you cared about me you wouldn't be complaining that I still grieve for the loss of my sister."

Digory Kirke reached for her hand, "Addye, this is for the best."

Addye yanked her hand away, "You're not my father, you don't know what's right for me and what isn't."

Addye saw the pain in his eyes when she said it, but she was furious and seeing the hurt made her feel the slightest bit better.

He stood up and walked slowly to the door, "You start in September, Mrs. Macready will drive you into town to get your odds and ends."

Addye sniffled, "What have I done?"

'He's my only family and I just hurt him.'

She pulled herself from bed and walked to her closest and took out a prairie skirt and a loose blouse. She dressed and then walked slowly to the room down the hall; her sisters room

----------------------

On her bed was laid out her nightgown as if she were only in the shower. The blinds were open welcoming in sunlight and her desk was littered with drawings and letters. There were pictures hanging on the wall.

Addye placed her hand under her sisters pillow and pulled out a diary of pictures. On the cover was the two of them arms wrapped around each other Rayne's brown hair and Addye's blonde hair in ponytails and they were dressed alike.

The first picture was the wedding kiss between their parents, the second baby Rayne, and the third baby Addye, numerous pictures of them for four years, and then a picture of their father's mother. The two tombstones, the two years with their grandmother, and then another tombstone. Then came the pictures of them playing ball in the yard with Digory, and studying, going on trips, there were the pictures of Rayne and some boy holding hands, the first clumsy kiss, and then there was pictures for a few more years. The last entry was a picture of James' proposal to Rayne. She'd said yes, then she'd died three months later. James still came around, he'd come check up on her, see if she'd moved on yet. He'd enlisted in case another war broke out, he was still grieving also.

But unlike him, she completely blamed herself, he always said it wasn't her fault, "If you only knew."

----------------------

She pushed the photo book back under the pillow and walked to the study.

"Da?" Addye looked high and low but couldn't find her father anywhere.

"Miss Addye, your out of bed nice and early today. Would you like anything to eat?"

Addye turned to see Ivy smiling at her, "No thank you, do you know where my Da is?"

Ivy looked at her surprised, "The professor? He left about twenty minutes ago, he's gone over to Ms. Polly's. But he said to tell you, once you're ready, go to Mrs. Macready because she's going to bring you into town today."

Addye sighed, "Oh all right then, is she in the kitchen?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Thank you."

Addye walked to the kitchen slowly trailing her fingers along the wall and humming.

"Are you ready to go?" Mrs. Macready asked as Addye walked in.

"Hmm? Oh, yes ma'am."

"Then go and get some shoes and meet me by the barn."

Addye watched the woman stand and leave, and then went and retrieved a pair of slippers that the professor had bought her while he was away.

She ran down the stairs and paused beside the wardrobe room.

'What it would be like to escape into another world.'

Da had told her all about Narnia and Charn for years as she grew up and now she just found them entertaining for there was no way they could be true.

----------------------

"You took your sweet time, come on in the cart." Mrs. Macready sat with the reins in her hands.

"Sorry, I'm not used to, well you know." Addye sighed and pulled herself into the back of the cart.

"So, do you know why we're going into town?"

Sullenly Addye shrugged, "I don't know, school uniforms and ink wells?"

Mrs. Macready laughed, "Not quite, the professor's having me make a big dinner because he's inviting people over for dinner in two days. The Pevensies, the girls are going to the same school as you, did you know that?"

Addye tilted her head to the right, "Pevensie, you can't mean Susan and Lucy?"

The house keeper nodded, "They were at the house last year during the Blitz. Quite a rambunctious bunch. The oldest boy seemed to have leadership problems in the beginning, the youngest boy seemed to be angry and very irritable, the elder girl seemed to try and prove her knowledge and cool headedness, and the youngest girl seemed to be easily hurt but very excitable.

Then something changed them a few days into the stay, for I remember thinking in the beginning, how the profesor wouldn't be able to handle all the ruckus while both of his children were in the hospital. They began being nicer to each other, they didn't yell unless they were playing some game, they were ever so polite and they continually talked to the profesor about some game they played where 15 years passed in a second. They were gone before you came back though, for I almost thought that they would, well never mind."

Addye silently contemplated each word said. "Well why are they coming? Besides the fact that I'm going to school with the girls."

Mrs. Macready shrugged, "I don't know my dear. But it must be important if we have to go out and buy food."

Addye laid on her back and looked up at the clouds, "Nanna, do you think we could pick up my school supplies today? I mean just to make Da happy, I said some things I shouldn't have when he said he was sending me away to school."

"Something you said that makes you want to buy unwanted materials. What in all of the heavens did you say child?" Mrs. Macready asked.

"I said he wasn't my father so he didn't know whats right for me, and if he loved me he wouldn't send me away."

There was silence except the rhythmic trot coming from the old horse.

"You really hurt him, I've only once seen him so broken. The wounds won't ever fully heal, but he'll forgive you if you ask."

Addye sighed, "It just kind of slipped out, I was so upset. I just thought he would never send me away, you know? I mean what if something happens while I'm gone? I couldn't live with that."

"Child you will be the death of me the way you speak."

"I hope not, who else shall I pester with my what ifs and you knows?"

They laughed lightly and then spoke on things such as the weather and the quality of old craftsmanship.

----------------------

"The school uniform consists of a white button up blouse, a burgundy sweater, a grey skirt or jumper, if you wear the jumper you wear a burgundy vest, and there's a black and yellow tie. My what dreadful wear." Mrs. Macready said as she glanced at the list that Profesor Kirke had given her for when she went to buy Addye's things.

"Thanks for reminding me." Addye said glumly.

"Oh, you haven't heard the best part. It's an all girls school! The boys school is across the train tracks, isn't that exciting?"

Addye groaned, "You're kidding right?"

Mrs. Macready snorted, "You sure wish I was."

"Absolutely. So, do I need the typical things such as paper, ink wells, quills, journals, and my own copy of all the books."

"And more." Mrs. Macready said matter of factly.

"So pretty much this is going to be the worst year of my life."

"Be happy this is your last year in primary school, other wise you'd be going for more than just this year. Have you picked out any universities you might like to attend? "

Addye shrugged, "I figure I'll let Da tell me the best schools for young ladies who don't want to be stay home mothers. I mean it isn't exactly like we're in America where they got to work men's jobs during and after the war."

"Well how about you move to America then?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'd rather stay in England, I could never move away from everyone."

"When will we get there?"Addye asked a few moments later when her stomach began to rumble.

"Did Ivy not offer you something to eat before we left?" Mrs. Macready asked.

"Well she did but I wasn't hungry at the time."

"We'll probably be there within fifteen minutes, so fix up your hair and we'll eat at the diner."

Addye ran her fingers through her hair and then pulled it back into a bun.

"So, I've just thought of a reason the Pevensies might be coming over."

"Why is that? So I can appear to be a mean old woman to them again?" Mrs. Macready suggested.

"Well we live two miles away from the train station, if you can consider it that, and then it's only a two hour train ride to the St. Petersburg railway, where we could catch another train to the schools."

"It's a possibility. My you've been talkative today child." She said as she mopped the sweat from her brow.

"Why are you trying to change the topic?" Addye asked teasingly.

"I'm not but normally you're silent as death. Giving only two or one word responses depending on the question. Typically yes, or no, or I haven't an idea."

"I guess I just want Da to see that I'm trying to move on. It's just hard."Addye sighed.

"I know child, and no matter what your father says he hasn't moved on either."

----------------------

"Today is Saturday yes?" Mrs. Macready asked as she finished the last bit of her omelet.

Addye nodded as she held a piece of biscuit to her lips, "Yes, why?"

"Oh nothing, I was just thinking of how just about two years ago we sat in this same diner and celebrated your sisters seventeenth birthday."

Addye smiled, "Didn't she meet James here the summer before that?"

Mrs. Macready laughed, "If I'm correct he accidentally spilled his drink in her lap, when he went to talk to her for the first time."

Addye had tears in her eyes she was laughing so hard, "And then he apologized profusely, and she ended up asking _him_ on a date."

Mrs. Macready wiped the tears from her eyes, "I suppose it's time for us to go do our shopping then."

As they stood from the table Addye recognized the the topic of their discussion, "James!"

He turned and smiled at her. He was a slender boy, with round glasses at the bridge of his nose, and tidy brown hair, "Addye, Mrs. Macready! How nice to see you both, my what brings both you all the way out to town?"

Addye shrugged, "Food and school supplies."

"School supplies? Why do you...isn't the professor teaching you this year?"

Addye shook her head, "I'm going to boarding school, funny thought really. I never complied well with rules."

James laughed, "Well you don't be too much trouble for those poor teachers."

Addye nodded, "Of course. You know me, I'd never do such a thing in all of my days."

Mrs. Macready smirked, "Oh child you shall be the death of us all."

She threw her arms around James' waist and hugged him tiredly, "I'll miss you."

James patted her back gently, "Don't miss me too much, because I might not be here when you get back."

Addye looked at him horrified, "What do you mean?"

"I'm going to South America, it's my first post after boot camp."

"Will you come back?" She asked almost pleadingly.

"I will, when I feel the time is right." He tossed her hair teasingly. "Don't grow up too much while I'm away."

"Don't get yourself shot or heavens save your soul I'll bring you back and kill you myself." She warned him.

"I'll try, hey cheer up kid! I'll see you soon."

"Bye James," she waved once more and then Addye and Mrs. Macready left.

----------------------

"I had been looking forward to that boy being in the family, so well mannered and always on the optimistic side of things. Addye, dear, will you tie up the horse while I go buy the bread from the bakers.

Always best fresh!"

Addye nodded, "What are we making by the way?"

"Many things, some include chicken and dumplings, minced pie, roast beef, fried chicken, potatoes, treacle tart, stew, steak and kidney pie, blood pudding, and many, many more." Mrs. Macready rambled on excitedly.

"And WHO exactly is eating all of this? It can't just be us and the Pevensies, that's only twelve people. Thirteen if Polly comes, and she normally does."

"Who are you expecting to come if you're getting thirteen?"

"Well there's you, me, Da, Ivy, Betty, Margaret, Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie, their four children, and Polly."

"Child, Ivy, Betty, and Margaret will not be eating with us while we have guests. They'll be serving the food as they are accustomed to do so."

"But Da lets them eat with us while we have guests normally."

"We'll speak to your father then, now please go tie up the old dear, please."

"Alright, alright. You need week old bread for the dumplings!" She called after Mrs. Macready's retreating back.

She huffed frustratedly, since normal people drove cars there weren't many horse rings. Of course they lived in the country so not many people had cars and most rode horses, but hey why would anyone want to tie up their horse.

----------------------

It smelled of powder and leather, not the best smell for a seamstress' work place.

Addye squirmed as the owner of the shop took in a few skirts. The rest of the clothes (including two new Sunday dresses and a formal dress) and supply shopping was finished the only thing they needed to pick up were oats and fruit. Mrs. Macready had stuck her in here once she'd tied up the horse and then she'd gone and retrieved everything they needed and was now carrying two large wicker baskets full of fresh food.

"So for the tarts and the pie's we need lots of fruit. And some nice oatmeal for breakfast and of course we can mix some oats into the horses mash, no doubt they'll appreciate that."

"Mmhmm," Addye agreed boredly.

"Well all your clothes are finished dear, now if you'll just come over here and pay for this." Mrs. Macready went to the woman and payed for the new clothes

"Alright, well thank you. You're good to go dear."

Addye took the clothes pile and placed it into a large brown paper bag.

"So why don't you go buy some candies and then meet me by the carriage."

Addye shrugged, "Alright, do you know any types of candies they might like in particular?"

"They? Oh the Pevensies! Oh dear, no. No, I don't. Just get a few things you like and we can come back later to pick up more candies."

Addye looked at her supprised, "You do realise it's at least 16 km from here to the house right? It's not a trip I like to make often. Especially on that rickety cart, if we were just horseback riding I wouldn't mind."

"Your father said no Addye. You're a young lady, you might try acting like one."

"He's the one who taught me to ride so he can't exactly complain now can he?"

"His rules not mine."

----------------------

Addye huffed and headed over to the candy store.

The wind tousled her hair and she could almost see her and her sister running through the doors of the candy shop for the first time looking at everything in awe.

"Addye!" she looked up and saw the stores owner looking at her surprised, he was an older man with a few missing teeth a hunched back and and a balding head.

"Mr. Johnson!" He'd looked the same for many years but had a little more hair and a few more teeth when she'd originally met him.

"How are you, my girl? I haven't seen you in here for a few months."

Addye shrugged, "Oh you know it's all the same tit for tat. How are you? I heard that your son was in the hospital, is he alright?"

"We're all fine, it was just a slight case of the flu. The doctors cured him up and had him home in no time."

"That's fantastic, Mr. Johnson. I just need to pick up a few things then I have to head home."

"Addye, your Da likes those caramels, there in the corner."

"Thanks Mr. Johnson. Would you know what the children who stayed at the manor last year would like?"

"I believe it was that they enjoyed the nut free turkish delight. They staying again?"

"Just dinner as far as I know at the moment. Mrs. Macready has me on snack duty."

"Alright then I wouldn't want to keep you too long."

Addye walked around picking up the turkish delight and the caramels, and then carefully choosing between peppermints and penny chocolates silver cups.

She ended up with the Rockwood's chocolates, figuring they would last longer.

"That'll be a dollar and a nickel. You be safe now Miss Addye."

"Have a nice day Mr. Johnson!"

Now in a fantastic mood Addye walked to the old carriage and placed the brown paper bags next to her.

"You know Nanna, I don't think boarding school will be nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

"You keep saying that darling." said Mrs. Macready as she brought the old cart horse to a trot


	2. Preparations

Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing

As they trotted on the dirt path Addye stared upwards in a dream like state.

She watched the lively trees wave to her and the birds fly over head as they relished in the mid-afternoon warmth.

A sigh escaped her lips as she absent mindedly twirled one of her golden corkscrews around her index finger.

The cart bounced slightly as they hit a pothole.

"So Nanna, do you think you could drop me off here and I could possibly walk the rest of the way home?" Addye asked apprehensively.

"It's nearly dark child, you sure you want to get off?"

Addye nodded, "I won't be late for dinner, promise."

"Alright child, but if that sun is setting and the food is chilling on the table your father will have your knickers for it."Mrs. Macready warned with a stern glare.

"Alright, alright. It's just a walk, I'll be there" Addye promised again.

"Mmhmm, that's what you'd said the last time and the time before that! And if my memory serves me well, the time before that and the time befor...."

"I get the point, I get the point, don't be late. Sheesh don't get your knickers in a knot."

Addye jumped off the back of the cart and as Mrs. Macready drove away she was still calling after her, "and the time before that's".

Addye laughed lightly, "Only you Nanna."

When the cart was out of view Addye stooped down and began picking all different types of wild flowers, but she mainly tried to keep to the yellow and purple ones.

When she was satisfied with her bundle she reached down for some clovers and made a chain and slipped it around the stems of the flowers.

She walked slowly at first and then ran: Down this street, across that one, jump the ditch, and open the fence.

As the fence screeched closed, Addye stopped.

She couldn't help but notice how much taller the trees were here.

And how much more ominous the birds sounded, or the way the wind seemed to suddenly chill her to the bone.

She unconsciously clutched the small bundle in her hands a little tighter and walked slowly and cautiously past the headstones.

She didn't realise she was there until she had stopped, and then it was all to soon she found herself on her knees with her arms wrapped around that hunk of marble sobbing her heart out.

The flowers lay all but forgotten next to her, as she spluttered apologies to the stone repetitively.

When the rivers had slowed down to streams, Addye sat back on her heels but never took her hand off the stone.

"I walk alone now, it's not the same.

You always knew I hated being alone, but without you I really fell.

Everyone says I should forget about you, because they all "know" how I'm feeling.

But how can they?

You're in everyone of my dreams, you haunt my every waking moment, and it's just so hard to breath knowing I'll never see you again.

Because I remember everything about you, and I can't get you out of my head, and I know you would've been able to move on if it had been me who had died but I can't.

And I wish every single day you had lived and I had been the one who'd died.

Because you had a reason to exist, but my only reason is to make you know I'm not going to go kill myself after you sacrificed yourself for me."

A tear rolled off her cheek and hit the dry grass,"And I miss you so much it hurts."

Gently Addye placed her head against the tombstone,

"I did the stupidest thing today, Rayne." she whispered. "I seem to do that a lot now."

"I told Da I didn't love him.

And I don't know if I'll ever be able to make it up to him, I just was so upset and he was the only person that didn't seem to be hurting.

And I thought, for some reason, if he could only feel half the pain I'm feeling he wouldn't make me go away.

But then I realised, he's in more pain than I could ever imagine."

A hand reached past her picking up the forgotten flowers and placing them upright in a stand.

Addye didn't even have to look up to know who it was.

The old voice was stretched and tired, like it belonged to a man who was now hollow when he'd once been whole.

"Sunshine on daisies and violet on tulips, she'd have been surprised you remembered her two favorite colors.

Seeing as she avoided that question whenever asked.

Ah, I guess sometimes she'd slip up.

And you never did forget it once she did.

Come on now Addye, let's go home."

Addye looked up at Digory Kirke and threw her arms around his neck as a new wave of tears crashed over her.

"I didn't mean it!

And I knew I shouldn't have said it, and I tried to find you to apologize but you were at Polly's and I was with Nanna and....and...and..."

Digory Kirke smiled and pressed his forefinger over his sister's daughter's mouth.

"Just like your mother, you never know when you've said enough.

I was never at Polly's, I was here all along.

I heard every word you said, and I know you were speaking from your heart.

Because you only ever truly opened up to two people, Mrs. Macready and Rayne."

Addye shook her head, "You've gone and forgotten one, my Da."

"You see," Addye linked her arm through his and began to walk towards the enticingly warm road,

"He's this wonderful old man.

He loves studying old literature, and he tells the most wonderful bedtime stories.

He always knows when somethings wrong, he's kind, and funny.

He never judges, and he's oh so patient.

But what his most striking quality to me is he loves everyone he meets, but more importantly he loves his girls more than anything money could ever buy."

Digory smiled, "So he does."

The two walked in silence along the road and they watched the sun set.

They were on the row to the house when they began pointing out constellations.

Mrs. Macready found that the opportune moment to come out and say, "Oh look, and AGAIN!"

Addye burst into laughter as she walked into the house, "Yes but he was out with me so I have an excused absence Thank You Very Much!"

"Tsk, tsk,tsk. I'm trying to teach this girl responsibility and you keep her out after dark, what kind of man are you?"

The three laughed happily together and then went inside, ate some food, and slipped off to bed.

-

The next day seemed to slip by, between cleaning and precooking there weren't enough hours in the day.

Around 8 in the evening everyone called quits and all sat in the parlor with hot tea and biscuits.

It seemed like every speck in this house had been polished at least twice.

Addye groaned, and plopped down on the sofa in the freshly cleaned parlor, "Feet off or you'll be the one scrubbin seats tomorrow." Betty threatened.

"Right," she removed the trainers from her feet and then curled up.

"Addye have you taken your medicines? It's Monday so you have to take all of them.' Digory asked as he noticed Addye dozing off.

She grumbled something incoherent.

"What was that?" Digory asked again.

"No, can't I just take them later?" Addye grumbled.

"No, off to the kitchen. No one's getting it for you."

Addye yawned and pulled herself off of the coach.

"Oh, and Addye," Mrs. Macready called after her,

"We have our ways of knowing if you take all your medicines. So I suggest you take all of them or you're not going to like the consequences."

Addye huffed and walked down the stairs to the kitchen.

She dug through a few cabinets before finding eight different colored jars of medicine.

"Two green, one blue, one with the red writing on it, one with the black writing, three of the light blues, one of the clear ones, four yellowish ones, and two table spoons of the stinky pearl coloured liquid. It's a miracle I've never choked on any of these before, I mean there's tons of them."

Addye took a glass from the cabinet, and as she reached to fill it her line of vision blurred.

She rubbed her eyes but everything was still fuzzy, she noticed the glass becoming heavier in her hand until it rolled from her finger tips and fell into thousands of pieces.

-

"So I was thinking we could then bring out the....what was that?" Mrs. Macready said surprised.

Digory's face paled, "Did she take her daily pill, the one she takes in the mornings?"

"She was supposed to get it with her breakfast, wasn't it on her plate?" Margaret asked.

Ivy gasped and pulled a dingy brown capsule from her apron, "It was on the table when I was cleaning up."

"Oh no," Digory stood from his chair and ran as quickly as he could down to the kitchen with the four women right behind him.

Addye was leaning against the counter breathing laboriously.

"Someone get me a glass of water." Digory ordered as he assisted his daughter to the kitchen stool.

"Addye, tell me can you see? Can you breath?" Mrs. Macready knelt next to her.

Addye shook her head, her lips clamped together.

Betty handed Digory the water and Ivy handed him the pill.

"Addye I need you to open your mouth. Come on Addye, the only way we can help you is if you open your mouth, that a girl." Mrs. Macready coaxed her.

Quickly they popped the pill in her mouth, and gave her a mouth full of water.

She swallowed reluctantly.

"Let's get her to her room, she should be fine by tomorrow. Margaret, would you grab her other medicines?"

Digory picked up the reluctant girl and carried her to her bed.

"Have you taken your insulin shots today?" He asked Addye as he walked carefully up the stairs.

"One," she mouthed.

He nodded, "You were supposed to take one before lunch."

"Forgot," she mouthed again.

Digory sighed, "You will be the death of me."

Addye noticeably frowned.

"I'm teasing, you need to be more careful though.

You've already had one TIA and this being the second your risking your chances of a stroke."  
Addye looked at him pointedly, her vision becoming a bit more clear, and her arm regaining its strength.

She opened her mouth to speak, and out came a raspy whisper, "It isn't as if I can control it. Otherwise I'd never let it happen again."

Digory smiled, "Well at least this one wasn't as long as the last one.

Mrs. Macready, she's able to move a bit, talk, and I assume her vision is bettering itself.

How long has it been?"

Mrs. Macready checked her watch, "It's been five minutes, if I'm correct the first one was around twenty seven minutes.

Still, she should stay in bed for the rest of the evening"

Addye shrugged, "Sounds delightful."

Upon reaching her bed she was given her insulin shot, changed into a sleeping gown, and abruptly put to sleep."

-

Yes I realize this chapter was short.

If you haven't realised it by now, Addye has type 1 diabetes.

TIA, also known as Transient Ischemic Attack- is, to put it short, a mini stroke. It's a warning sign, and typically if one has a TIA this person typically has a stroke sometime within a years time, if not properly taken care of. There is no cure to TIA as of now, you can procure TIA if you have type one or two diaetes.


	3. Here Come the Pevensies

_**Merry (belated) Christmas everyone. Sorry this one took so long, I was at a dead end, but finally I saw the light to the end of the tunnel. Enjoy!**_

She tossed and turned in her fitful sleep.

The dream, to say the least, was unsettling.

She was sitting in a meadow, alone as far as she could tell. She was wearing an old, medieval dress, with her platinum blonde hair in a braid with flowers running throughout it. She appeared to be singing or perhaps saying something. The sky was darkening rapidly and the trees were uprooting themselves and walking closer almost suffocating her, then it appeared as if they opened great wooden eyes and opened there branches and moaned her name,

"Addye."

Addye sat up horrified, "It's about time you woke up! I've been calling your name for the past five minutes, now get dressed and take your shot. You need to pick the Pevensie's up around noon. Well come on girl up! We have a bit of work to do yet."

Addye plopped back against her pillows as Betty left her syringe on her bedside table.

"And if Macready comes back here and you're not up. It'll be your hide on the wall, not mine."

Addye murmurered something about impatience and early morning wake up calls.

She dragged herself from the warmth of her sheets and trudged over to her dresser.

Addye opened her mouth and yawned profusely as she reached for her crisp, red plated skirt and a white button front.

She slid into a pair of knee high white socks with red bows at the top and red satin slippers.

There was a light tap at her door and Mrs. Macready walked in with a needle in her hand.

"You are planning on brushing your hair, right?"

Addye shrugged, "Nah I figured I'd just let them see me with a rats' nest on top of my head.

Addye lifted her shirt below her chest revealing a dark purplish, bruised area below the belly button.

Mrs. Macready handed Addye the needle and grimaced as the girl quickly inserted the needle and medicine.

Addye sighed, "One down, two to go. Will you hand me my comb, Nanna?"

Mrs. Macready went and retrieved the comb.

"Sit." She commanded pointing at the stool in front of the vanity.

Addye sat tiredly and allowed the comb to be dragged slowly through her hair repetitively.

When Mrs. Macready seemed to be satisfied with the void of knots in Addye's hair, she separated the hair and quickly plaited it and finished by added a clip.

Addye ran the comb through her bangs and glanced at her reflection.

Blonde, pale, too thin, and purple bruises below her eyes. She'd looked worse, "Fantastic."

"Go eat and then brush your teeth, Margaret finished your chores for you."

Addye looked at her confused, "Why? They're my responsibility, you should have woken me."

Mrs. Macready smiled, "Child you confuse me to no end. You were sick last night, now you want to do your chores. What will I do with you?"

Addye shrugged, "Throw me out with the chickens."

Mrs. Macready shook her head, "No I do believe that would be far too kind a deed. Maybe the pigs."

Addye grimaced, "Why do we even have them, all they do is smell up the farm. It's hard to breathe back there!"

"Go eat." She said pointing to the door.

Addye stood slowly and stumbled down the stairs.

Her father was seated at the table with a newspaper in his hand.

"I'll presume you've taken your shot before you come to eat?"

Addye smiled, "Yes sir, and how was your sleep?"

Digory grinned, "Wonderful, your eggs are on a plate in the kitchen. We're going to pick the Pevensie's up at the station around one so I need you to eat and be ready to leave in about twenty minutes."

"What time is it anyways?" Addye glanced out the window the sun was already half way up in the sky.

"7:28, now eat up we have a long day ahead of us."

"You know Da, I was wondering."

Digory looked up from his paper, "Yes?"

"What if we brought Jessie and Boxer along. That way we adolescence can ride back, and you and the adults can talk?"

Digory noticeably frowned, "I already told you Addye, I don't want you riding."

"Well what was the point in teaching me if you're not going to let me ride?

I mean seriously Da, people ride all the time and they don't get hurt.

Have a little faith. Please, just today and I won't ask again until.....well alright until I come back for break?"

"People do get hurt all of the time Addye, but if you intend on keeping your promise I suggest you finish eating and go saddle up the horses while I go hook old Samson and Sugar up to the wagon."

"Yes! Thank you daddy! I swear, you won't regret this, I promise."

Addye ran into the kitchen and quickly ate/inhaled her breakfast without tasting it.

She ran up stairs brushed her teeth and then ran back downstairs and out to the barn.

Addye walked up to a chestnut horse and gently ran her hand down his neck, "Good morning Boxer, ready to go riding?

You'd better be good or the both of us will be in trouble with Da.

That means no warm mash." At this the horse flattened his ears to his skull and nodded his giant head vigorously.

"Atta boy! Now behave while I hook you up."

Addye walked from the stall and retrieved Boxer's tack.

"Boxer, I got you a treat!"

Boxer prodded her with his massive nose while he looked for the apple treat behind her back.

Addye giggled as he ran his whiskers across her face.

She placed the flat of her hand to his mouth and while he ate the treat Addye put on his blanket and saddle, and then when he was finished she put on his halter.

Addye then walked to the stall next to his and patted the head of a black and white mare.

"Morning Jessie." She repeated the process with Jessie and then she connected a lead rope to the latters halter and climbed onto Boxer.

"Tch, Tch." She clucked calling the horses to a walk.

"Adelynn," Mrs. Macready was standing on the porch holding her sweater, "You'd better take this."

Addye walked the horses to the front of the house and opened up the saddle bag, she noted the fact that another insulin shot was put in there along with apples and carrots.

"You be safe, or God as my witness I'll pound you myself."

Addye grinned, "I'll be fine Nanna. We'll be back for dinner!"

Addye noted that her father was already on the road about fifteen paces ahead of her with Samson, the old cart horse, and Sugar, a spunky young mare, leading the way,.

"Tch, tch, tch, tch." She clucked the horses into an easy trot.

Boxer and Jessie being unnormally patient and noncomplaintive.

"You really enjoy your mash don't you two?" Addye chuckled.

Jessie was getting slightly antsy, not used to going so slow.

"Da, I'm going to run them for a few minutes. Meet you by the Post Office!"

"You be careful or I won't let you ride those horses any more no matter how careful you promise to be."

"Yes sir, I'll be careful."

Addye tightened her grip on Jessie's lead rope and clucked the horses into a lope.

The horses excitedly reered their heads to the air and pushed themselves forward.

Addye laughed happily as they pushed themselves along the old dirt road.

She encouraged them to go faster and faster as the excitement grew Addye realised she wasn't in control anymore.

The horses were now racing each other for dominance.

The Jessie's rope was wrapped tightly around Addye's hand and the strain to keep it that way was exhausting.

She pulled back on the reins realising that she was about to pass up the post office if she didn't get the horses under control.

"Whoa, whoa, I said WHOA!" The horses slowly relented until they came to a stop.

Addye got off of Boxer and tied him to a post.

Then she grasped Jessie's lead rope and ran her in circles to get her energy out.

"What has gotten into you today, your insane."

When Jessie had slowed to a prance, Addye gave both horses apples and sat with her sketch book in hand and carefully outlined the tree arch in front of her.

Addye gently shaded and darkened until she heard the groaning of a wagon and the clip clop of shooed hooves.

She grabbed both horses reins and headed towards the road.

"What took you so long?" Addye teased him as she walked over to him.

"Had any problems with the horses?" Digory inquired.

"Um, well Jessie's a bit excited that's all."

"Tie her to the back of the wagon it'll be easier that way."

Addye shrugged and tied Jessie's lead rope to one of the rails of the old wagon and then mounted Boxer.

"Just thirteen kilometers to go. You could try galloping poor ole Sammy and Shugah for a bit, not like their fat selves needs any exercise, now do you ya fatties?"

"And risk them passing out before we get there, I'll pass. Were you waiting long?"

"Hmm, oh no. I got in some drawing."

Addye's eyes showed she wasn't completely there.

Her hands guided Boxer where to go.

"_I wanna get the mail daddy!" A skinny brown haired girl begged._

"_No, it's my turn! You promised daddy, you promised!" Said an eight year old Addye._

"_How about going together, you can ride Samson." Digory smiled at the girls._

"_But you said I could do it!" Addye whined._

"_You need to share Addye. I'll feel better knowing Rayne's with you."_

"_Fine." Addye grumbled._

"_Come on Addye, it'll be fun. We can pretend like we're tree nymphs from Narnia! And of course we'll have to save the world from Jadis. I promise it'll be lots of fun!"_

"_Promise Rayne, you really promise?" Addye asked as she reached her hand out._

_Rayne took her sister's hand, "Promise."_

_Digory smiled, "You two be careful. Make sure the witch doesn't get you!"_

_The two raced after each other to the stables and each assisted the other onto the horse. _

_They trotted down the road proclaiming their love of the steadfast land and its rulers._

_As they reached the Post Office Addye jumped from the horses back._

"_Come fair Tree Maiden, for there is a mad witch on our tails, and might we find some solitude in this pitiful cave."_

"_Indeed," Rayne smiles._

_After Rayne tied Samson up to the fence, they walked into the building and unlocked their small mail block._

_After which they clamoured back onto the old horses back and at full speed ahead ran from the witch._

_Rayne feigned dead and Addye burst into tears not knowing if her sister was serious or just playing._

_After a few moment she sat up and sighed, "You were supposed to be brave Addye, what will you do when I'm gone?"_

_Addye shook her head, "But you won't leave, you always sit back up!"_

_Rayne laughed at the naivity of her sister, and then began to laugh at the naivity of her sister._

"_And so, the warrior tree nymphs, won their fight that day and neither tree perished." Rayne narrated the rest of the story as they road up to the stable._

_Never once did they see that all along, one day the hero wouldn't sit up again._

_Never seeing that one tree nymph would be left alone in the cruel world, with nothing more then fallen tears to protect her._

Addye sighed and shut her eyes as they began to well up with tears.

'This tree nymph is strong, because she has to be strong enough or two warriors!' She thought bitterly.

Something so innocent as memories, brought the pain back in a fresh wave.

"So, do you think we should have the picnic by the train depot or in the little clearing back there?" Digory asked finally breaking the silence as they rode up to the port.

Addye shrugged, "I don't know, what if they've already eaten? I guess the clearing, that way the horses can graze."

Digory smiled as he pulled the cart to a stop on the grass next to the road, "Nobody rejects a small trifle to eat. Anyways, any food given to them to eat was but a small bite unless they brought food or lots of money with them."

Addye just frowned, "Unhook Sammy and Sugar for me. I'm going to let them graze, I guess. It'll at least give them something to do."

As she waited for the other two horses reins, she removed the saddles from the two horses and placed them onto the wagon.

"Hey Da, I'm going to tie these two up, I'll be right back."

Digory smiles, "It's fine, we're early anyways."

Addy nodded and lead the two horses to the clearing and tied them to the old wooden fence.

It wasn't very large, it was about forty feet wide with trees all around except for the entrence which was lacking two large spruces.

The wild flowers were in bloom covering the floor in an array of colors and excited frenzy.

It looked exactly the same eleven years ago.

Or the first lunch she ever had with her new father/uncle.

They were all nervous enough, the girls from already losing three guardians.

And Digory for not having ever raised any child before, unless you counted the few times he's watched his sister on his mother's pleadings.

Addye walked back to retrieve Samson, Sugar, and the wicker picnic basket, She tied each male next to a female, removing any chance of a fight.

She heard the sound of the trains' whistle, but paid it no mind as she spread out a large blanket and began unpacking the food.

She quickly adjusted her skirt and then walked from the trees.

They were still unloading from the train onto the deck-like platform so she went to her saddle bag and retrieved her shot.

Addye quickly placed the tip of the needle through a button slot and quickly pushed and released the liquid into her body.

She gagged for a second hating the feeling of the needle penetrating her skin and then pulled the needle from her stomach and placed it back into the saddle bag.

Addye pulled on her shirt slightly and walked towards the "station".

The first thing she noticed was the many people talking at once, then how it all seemed to stop when she stepped onto the second of the three steps.

A middle aged woman with brown hair and eyes walked slowly up to her with an awed, slightly pitied, and saddened expression.

"Oh Digory, she looks just like Jaina." She whispered.

"I'm Ms. Helen, I was friends with your mother when we were both girls." Addye smiled politely and shook her hand.

"I'm Addye."

She nodded, "I also babysat both you and your sister. Speaking of which, are you hiding Rayne from us as well, Digory?"

Addye noticed how her father seemed to glance around before saying, "I regret to say Rayne won't be home durring your stay. She's doing some traveling."

Her eyebrows must have shot sky high, her father never told a lie that she was aware of.

Of course he would probably tell Mr. And Mrs. Pevensie all about her sister when they were having tea in the parlor while she entertained the other adolescence.

Speaking of which....

Susan was smiling at her, so much more beautiful than any memory ever could have done her justice for.

Long curled brown hair, freckles, perfect posture, even, white teeth, and so much more.

They happily laughed and wrapped their arms around the other squealing in delight.

"Look how beautiful you are!" Addye exclaimed as she pushed her friend back slightly, to get a better look at her.

Addye knew what Susan would see, not but a shell of what she'd used to be.

She was pale, bony, had purple bruises beneath her eyes, blonde hair that made her appear even more like a china doll, and she almost looked as breakable.

Her eyes were every bit as concerned as she had thought they'd be.

'You will tell me later.' Susan's mouth formed the never spoken words.

For a second Addye wanted to shake her head and yell it was none of her business.

But instead she smiled and nodded, needing to finally tell someone besides a tombstone of the emptiness inside.

Susan linked her arm through Addye's before she could glimpse the other children behind her father and Susan's parents.

"Please tell me you have food! I'm starving, and the food they had on the train was SO very expensive!"

So Da had been right, they were famished.

"Yeah, do you have any luggage?" Addye asked due to the lack of bags in either of their hands.

"Oh don't worry, Mum said to let the boys get it."

Addye smiled, "So you look...happy. How've you been."

"Um fine actually, not really looking forward to school at all, but hey at least you'll be there this year!"

"Do you mind horseback riding?" Addye asked.

Susan grinned happily, "I love riding, bare back or saddled?"

"Unfortunately doubled up and saddled. Well, one of us gets to ride by ourselves at least."

They began to skip to the clearing, stumbling a few times, but they made it and settled in.

A few moments after that, Lucy came running excitedly up to Addye.

She threw her arms around Addye, while complaining on not being greeted on the platform.

"My my! Little Lucy's all grown up!"

It had been about six years since the last time Addye'd seen either of the girls.

But longer since she'd seen the boys, she couldn't even remember their names at the current moment.

They spoke lightly conversing on what had happened over the past years.

The three of them all avoided one topic, the period of the war, but more precisely the Blitz.

Then Digory and Mr. And Mrs. Pevensie came into the clearing and joined them on the blanket.

Another two minutes went by and a dark haired boy with freckles joined them, an aggravated frown on his face as he sat next to Lucy.

As time passed they waited for the final Pevensie boy, and then there he was.


	4. Ignorance is Bliss

I'm sorry I didn't get a chapter out sooner, but my great-grandfather passed away New Year's Eve, and we had the funeral yesterday. So me being sick today really helped me get back into typing.

Enjoy!

--

He was beautiful, to say the least.

Light sky blue eyes, that seemed to have an almost stubborn glint to them, dirty golden blonde hair that fell over his eyes, and a deep olive complexion, apposed to the paleness of the rest of his siblings.

But the furious scowl and crease in his brow, seemed to take away from what would be a kind, joyful face.

His, would be amazingly easy to get lost in eyes, seemed no more than smothering embers.

Addye felt her stomach turn, how could anyone hold such resent to anyone or anything?

It seemed that everything his eyes scanned over was held to scrutiny, and judged unjustly.

They had been preparing to ride, when Peter got onto Sugar and ushered her to a trot.

The remaining four looked at each other and laughed quietly.

Edmund imitated him by jumping onto Jessie's back and sticking his nose in the air while riding her in circles.

Lucy burst into a fit of giggles as Addye and Susan covered their mouths' to hide the laughter.

When they had managed to control themselves, Lucy doubled with Ed, and Susan and Addye doubled on Boxer.

"Do you want to steer?" Addye asked as she gripped the horn of the saddle.

"Yeah, it's been a while. Do you mind?"

"Would I have asked you if I did?" Addye asked as she pulled herself into, and then behind the saddle.

"No, but I still thought I should ask." Susan situated herself into the saddle, gripped the reins, and then kicked Boxer to a lope.

"What's your brother's problem?" Addye inquired.

"Ed? He doesn't have a problem. Well, at least that's what mum says." Susan shrugged.

"No not Edmund, the other one, Peter. Has he always been like that?"

"What stoic and rude? Nah, just formed over the last year. Da's not too happy about it. Mum says it's just a phase."

Addye nodded, something had happened.

They'd been arguing when they first came here last year, then they were happy.

Now they were all frustrated slightly, and the eldest was seemingly cruel.

"Race ya Ed!" Susan called over her shoulder as she pushed Boxer to a gallop.

Addye gripped onto the rear of the saddle, her nails creating half moon crescents in the leather.

Her hair slapped against her back as she heard the sound of Jessie cantering behind them.

Laughter bubbled up as they raced onwards.

Susan was pushing Boxer forward as she too began to laugh jovially.

They raced past Peter, so that all they saw of him was a blur.

The others were catching up, and if they went any faster, they'd be home before six.

None of them saw the snake in the road.

Except the horses.

They skidded to a halt and reared up, desperately bucking, and then took off at a dangerous speed.

Lucy was screaming at Edmund to make it stop, and Susan was repetitively pulling up on the reins trying to make Boxer stop or at least slow down.

They ran and they ran, no common sense used by horse or man.

They ran through the woods, they jumped over ditches, until they stopped.

Miraculously, the horses had kept together.

But the question truly was, where was together?

Lucy had loosened her death grip on Edmund when the horses began to graze slightly.

Addye ran her hand over her face as she said everything in her mind at once,

"Da's going to kill me! That is, if we ever find the road again. Ugh, how could I be so stupid. Are you all alright?"

They all smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, we've definitely been through worse." Ed concluded.

"What direction do you live in?" Susan asked as she wrung her hands.

"The house is...is...Oh, north east. Because if you stand in the yard behind it, you have the most wonderful view of the sunset."

"Well the sun is currently going west, which is behind us." Lucy noted.

"And since the moss on all of the trees are on this side, that way is north east!" Edmund smiled proudly as he pointed in said direction.

Slowly they made their way through the trees, continuously making sure they were going in the right direction.

Ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes.

Each amount of time passed, but finally they were behind the post office.

"Well, that wasn't too bad." Lucy concluded as she dropped from behind the saddle.

"Not too bad at all, seeing as we just scraped about three hours off of that ride. Except for the fact, we have to wait here for the adults and your brother."Addye nodded appreciatively.

"Three hours! I can't wait that long and just sit here, can't we leave them a note or something?" Lucy asked.

"Well...I guess we could. Just give me a few moments." Addye reached into the saddle bag and reached for her sketch pad.

She ripped out the picture of the tree arch she'd been drawing earlier and flipped it over.

She briefly explained where they were, how they got there so fast, and signed her name at the bottom.

Then she took a small hammer and a nail from the bag and went and pounded the nail into the tree.

Edmund was staring at her strangely, "Um Addye....why do you have nails and a hammer in your bag?"

Addye just shrugged, "I don't really know, it comes in handy though. I also have a toothbrush, snacks, a blanket, and some oats. Speaking of which..."

She reached in for two handfuls and handed half to Lucy and they fed the rambunctious horses.

They relaxed there for about five more minutes and then walked up the road.

Only one and a half kilometers to go.

-

Well, to say the least all of the women that were in the house were startled by them being home so early.

Addye just brushed them off saying she only wanted to tell the story once.

"Um, so the rooms you used last year aren't available this year. We had to use them for storage space, but we do have two rooms down the hall from me where I guess you all will sleep. Come on, I'll show you where."

Addye walked up the stairs, past the wardrobe room (was it just her or did all three of them just pause for a second, look at the door, look at each other, and keep walking?), and first showed Edmund where he and anger management boy would be sleeping.

There were two double beds with white and blue sheets, a dresser, two bedside tables, and a small sitting area by the window.

He looked around slightly, but since there was no luggage to unpack he followed to see the girls room.

Addye opened the door across the hall and the room was almost exactly the same except the sheets were red and white, and there was a door that if you managed to open it, led to Addye's room.

She shrugged, "So um, that's about it. There are two washrooms down the hall, and a few more downstairs if any of you need one. I'm going to take a nap and then bathe before supper, but feel free to wake me up if you need me."

They nodded and then went their sepperate ways.

Susan followed into Addye's room and asked, "Do you think I could borrow a robe and some close until the luggage comes?"

Addye smiled and walked to her dresser, "I'm sure I have something you can wear."

Susan walked over to her and reached for one of the two silk robes and a white oxford, folded within the dresser.

"Um would you like a blue skirt or a brown skirt?"She asked Susan, as she held them in the air.

"I'll take the blue one I guess. Would you like to talk this evening?"

"If you'd like." Addye murmured.

"As long as you don't tell me that there is nothing wrong."

Addye opened her mouth for a moment and then paused, and nodded.

As Susan left to bathe, Addye took the skeleton key from her neck, brought a change of clothes, and walked slowly to her sister's room.

She unlocked the door and let herself in.

Addye reached for a piece of paper on the desk and drew.

Slowly, intoxicating, almost longingly she drew first a face, then an eye, an ear.

Her brow was creased, and a bead of sweat slipped from the tip of her nose.

She stilled as she saw the face, it was almost as if they were still there in front of her.

And there they were, she hadn't seen them in years.

They smiled at her from the paper, her parents.

She could remember them from pictures,but had few personal memories.

She looked from the window, and the sun was going low in the sky.

A sigh passed between her lips and she stood.

In a drawer filled with other drawings, Addye placed in this portrait and walked to the wash room.

She locked the door and as she removed her clothes, her fingers brushed the prominent ribs.

The deep purple bruise on her lower abdomen never left, and tears welled up in her eyes as she realised that her body was frail and ill.

Her nails dug into her palm, as depth tears fell down her cheeks.

"I'm a prisoner in my own body." Her body shook in furry and agony.

"I can't do this, I can't do this...I have to do this." Her lips formed each word, though none were said.

The internal battle was becoming harder to fight with each oncoming day.

She filled the tub and then sunk beneath the water.

-

She stood before her mirror, adjusted her hair and makeup slightly and then walked down to the kitchen.

Mrs. Macready handed her the insulin shot, "You're helping serve dinner, so now is the only time your going to have to take the shot."

Addye nodded and repeated the process.

She heard the kitchen door open, and then the proclamation of, "Addye, I thought I told you to be careful!"

"Da, nobody got hurt. Isn't that what counts?"

Digory Kirk's frown said it all, "You could've, and we wouldn't have known where any of you were!"

"But we're alright, Lucy used common sense to point out east and west, and Edmund used botany to figure our way north. Plus we shaved **THREE HOURS **off our trip."

"You're not seeing the complete picture here Addye."

"No you're not seeing the complete picture, we're fine!"

"But you might not have been! Don't you see how worried we were, we get to the post office and there's noone there! And if Peter hadn't seen the picture I don't know what we'd have done."

"I put it in plain view, you didn't see it?" Addye was confused, she had put it on the tree directly next to the path.

"It doesn't matter now. What I'm trying to say, is I don't want you to ride for the time being. The only exception being if, and only if, you or someone else are in deathly peril.

"But!"

"No, you promised. That's the end of it. Now, I'd appreciate it if you'd go and call the others to supper, their parents are already in the dining room." He looked to see if she would argue anymore.

Addye sighed, "Yes sir."

She walked up the stairs and could hear that most of them were currently in the boys room.

She knocked once and then walked in, "Supper is being served in the main dining room, if you're ready please make your way there."

"All profesional now Addye?" Lucy teased.

"Nah, my Da gets irritated at me if I don't say the "proper" supper declaration. Come on, you're going to love it. We went all out expenses for this one."

Susan stood and walked over to her, "What exactly are we having?"

"I don't really know, we've been precooking for the past two days, so you'd think I would. You don't have to eat if you don't want to though."

Edmund laughed, "Us, not eat, fat chance."

He stood and walked into the hall and knocked on the washroom door, "Come on Peter, we need you to grace our presence in the dining room."

Susan rolled her eyes and the three girls linked arms and walked down to the dining room.

The spread was amazing, to say the least.

The best cloth was on the table, the best china, everything was beautiful.

Susan and Lucy seated themselves at the middle of the table across from their parents.

Addye greeted Mr. and Mrs. Pevensie, and then walked to the kitchen.

She was carrying out the appetizer: small crab cakes, with a maranara dressing, when the doorbell rang.

"Addye, could you get that?" Mrs. Macready asked as she also brought out three crab cakes.

She placed each before a plate, straightened up and walked towards the door,"Yes Nanna."

Addye hummed slightly not really paying attention where she was going, and when she oppened the door to great Polly, instead she was face to face with an old friend of Rayne's.

A short red headed girl with freckles stood there, impatiently tapping her foot.

"Genevieve?" She said surprised.

"Addye! Wow you look...different, is your father home?"

Addye nodded slowly, "Um, sorry, come on in. He's in the dining room, I'll have him meet you in the parlor. If that's okay?"

Genevieve nodded impatiently, "Yes, yes that's fine. Just tell him it's urgent."

"He'll be there." Addye rushed to the dining room.

"Da, Genevieve Dawson would like a word with you in the parlor. She says it is urgent and it cannot wait."

Digory looked surprised, "Rayne's friend Genevieve? What could she want? Excuse me."

He stood from the table, mumbling beneath his breath and walked out of the dining room.

Again a knock came from the door, and again Addye excused herself.

"Aunt Polly!" She cried out happily as the elderly woman let herself into the house.

"There's my girl, how have you been?"

Polly was of an average stature, she has a head of white hair, and eyes that seem to smile all on their own.

"Me? I'm fine. Everyone's in the dining room, except Da and he'll be joining us shortly."

"That man. He has you as his own personal recorder doesn't he?"

Addye just smiled.

"Well I guess we should get to the table so we complain about what took him so long."  
"I'll be right there, excuse me for a moment or two."

Addye walked up the stairs quietly and stood with her ear against the key hole to the parlor.

"...it's all there professor, just like you said it was. And I saw her, and I promise you I'm not lying. She was so beautiful, but she wouldn't come back with me. No matter what I said."

There was silence for a few moments and then, "My dear, I believe you. But her time here was limited, she was never ment to stay. Please, I'm going to beg of you, let her go."

Addye listened confused, somebody wasn't really gone.

They'd been here a short while and then they left, to hide or something of the sort.

But who?

And then there was a hand over her mouth and she froze.

"It's rude to eavesdrop on others business, you do know this yes?" Peter hissed in her ear.

She nodded dumbly, "Go down stairs and prepare for dinner."

She turned to him, "Well what are you doing up here? You're already supposed to be seated."

Peter frowned, "Come on then, before we both get in a load of trouble."

-

About ten minutes later, Digory joined them and sat at the head of the table.

He informed them that Genevieve had gone home for the evening.

Forming a circle, Mr. Pevensie was on the right of Digory, Mrs. Helen on the right of Mr. Pevensie, and so on with Mrs. Macready to next to her, Betty next to Macready, Ivy seated next to Betty, Margaret next to Ivy, Polly next to Margaret, Addye next to Polly, Susan next to Addye, Lucy next to Susan, Peter was next to Lucy, and Edmund was on the left hand side of Digory.

Digory blessed the food and then everyone began to eat their appetizers.

About two minutes before everyone was finished, Addye, Mrs. Macready, Ivy, Margaret, and Betty would get up and prepare for the next course.

Addye and Mrs. Macready would pass out while Ivy, Betty, and Margaret would pick up the previous course.

It went on like this until the final courses were combined into one (the coffee course and the dessert course).

They ate on eclairs, pies, and home made ice cream until noone could eat anymore.

Everyone lounged and talked lightly until Digory suggested that everyone move to the parlor, because he had some news to tell everyone.

Addye stayed in the kitchen and helped clean, if it was so imperative that everyone heard it at the same time, they would have to wait.

She removed the cloth from the table and set it in the laundry bucket.

Then she helped clean counters and swept the area around the table.

"Addye, we're going home now. Tell your Da we'll see him in the morning." Ivy smiled at her from the door.

"You all have a good evening!" Addye called out to her, and then went to finish the dishes.

While she was putting away coffee mugs, Lucy came into the kitchen.

"Come on Addye, everyone's getting really impatient waiting for you to come."

Addye shrugged, "Tell them I'll be there when I finish the dishes."

Lucy shook her head, "They said not to come back unless you were in tow."

"Well Lu, you'll be here for a little bit. I just need to dry those plates and put them away."

"Alright, I'll dry. Then we can go."

Addye rolled her eyes, "Alright, I guess."

-

When finished Lucy practically drug Addye up the stairs.

Digory was sitting at his desk patiently waiting.

Susan and Peter were examining the books on the shelves and Edmund was conversing with his parents on the couch.

"Ah there you two are, now I can tell everyone. Well your parents already know, but seeing as next week you start school I thought you all might like to stay here. Then you could all ride together to your schools from there."

"That's the big news?" Addye asked, she'd heard more exciting things in the dinner conversations.

"No, that's just the plan. The news is that three days before you all go off, you will stay with me at my apartment in the city. And your parents will each give you some money to buy something." Polly said with a smile.

"So since you'll all be staying together, we wish you the best of luck with this school year." Helen said to them.

"May I go prepare for bed now?" Susan asked looking at Addye.

Her parents nodded.

Addye smiled at each of the adults, said goodnight, and walked to her room with Susan.

-

"So that was some dull big news." Susan said as she sat on the edge of Addye's bed.

She nodded.

"Spill." Susan said as the doors down the hall all closed, and all voices dimmed.

"What do you want to know?" Addye sighed.

"Everything. Where's your sister, why your so skinny and quiet. Why you were weeping today before you showered."

"You heard? Was I being loud?" Addye asked concerned.

"No, you weren't loud. But when I have a head ache, it seems as if I can hear everything."

Addye nodded and told her everything.

There was silence for a few moments afterwards, as Susan let all of the information sink in.

She didn't say 'I'm sorry' or 'I know how you feel', she just smiled.

She smiled and said, "You'll be alright."

-


	5. Onward to Narnia

The next week flew by.

For two and a half days they stayed with the professor, and then on the evening of the third day Polly picked them up and brought them to the picture show.

They went out to eat a lot, and they would go to the parks or go window shopping.

Their stay at Polly's felt shorter than it was.

With the money given to them,Peter bought a new pocket knife, Edmund bought a torch, Susan bought a new dress,Lucy bought a journal, and Addye bought some pastels.

Peter and Edmund seemed to get into quite a few fights behind closed doors, and they tried not to do so in front of their disapproving sisters.

Addye would try to capture each person when they were at their happiest and she would draw them.

But seeing as Peter was never quite happy, she drew him while he was reading his book with his scowl quite obvious.

Surprisingly, Peter lightened up enough for Addye and him to have a decent enough argument about who was a better author, William Shakespeare and his superb poetry or the master pieces by Homer.

But the days there were over soon enough.

On the day they were to leave Polly did all of the girls hair, curling the ends of Susan's, giving Lucy piggy tail braids, and pulling Addye's hair into a bun.

Then when each were dressed according to dress code, she called a taxi had them dropped them off by the subway and then rode away.

Lucy, Peter, and Addye went into the tunnel and Susan and Ed headed somewhere else.

Addye left in search of a bathroom when she heard the tell tale sounds of a fight.

And there in the midst of it was Peter being thrown back and forth, into walls, fists bashing into faces, knees connecting with groins.

Susan and Lucy were there and all of them were looking on in disappointment.

Peter looked into each of their eyes, the guilt was practically pouring out from them.

He was thrown onto the floor and kicked when Ed came from seemingly nowhere, and threw himself into the fight to help his brother.

Then there were whistles being blown and soldiers were interfering.

"Break it up, break it up."

"That's it. Get up."

As Peter went to through another punch the soldier held him by the arm, "Act your age!"

Peter and Edmund followed the girls to a bench and Susan was royally pissed.

"You're welcome." Edmund said as they all sat on the bench.

"I had it sorted." Peter retorted as he stood from his seat.

"What was it this time?" Susan asked while looking straight ahead.

"He bumped me." Peter said shortly.

"So you hit him?" Lucy asked appalled.

"No. After he bumped me, they tried to make me apologize. That's when I hit him." A frown evident on his face.

"Really, Is it that hard to walk away." Susan asked while shaking her head.

"I shouldn't have to. I mean, don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?" Peter asked looking between his siblings.

"Um, we are kids." Edmund pointed out.

"Well I wasn't always." Peter replied indignantly, "It's been a year. How long does he expect us to wait?"

Susan looked him in the eye and quite seriously said, "I think it's time to accept that we live here. It's no use pretending any different."

Addye sighed.

They were talking so cryptically she'd given up on trying to understand them.

Susan looked up when she heard the sound of a trains' whistle.

"Oh no," she murmured.

She grabbed Addye's hand and pulled her in front of herself.

"Hey!"

"Pretend like your talking to me!" She hissed as a boy with glasses began to approach her.

"We are talking to you." Edmund said as he pointed out the obvious.

Susan scoffed.

"Ow!" Lucy cried out as she jumped from the seat and ran into Addye.

"Quiet, Lu." Susan said between clenched teeth.

"Something pinched me!" Lucy said pointing at the spot she'd been sitting.

Addye opened her bag to make sure her insulin syringe wasn't broken.

While at the same time Peter stood and yelled, "Stop pulling!"

"I'm not touching you." Edmund said irritably.

"Look, would all of you just...What is that?" Susan and Edmund jumped from the bench.

Addye started rubbing her arms, "Ugh I feel like someone's tugging on my veins."

"It feels like magic!" Lucy exclaimed excitedly.

"Quick everyone hold hands." Susan ordered as she took Lucy and Peter's hands.

"I'm not holding your hand!" Edmund screamed at Peter.

"Just..." Peter snatched Edmund's hand, as papers started whipping through the air.

Lucy reached for Addye's hand and squeezed tightly as the train rushed by in front of them, yet noone seemed to notice.

Addye squealed when the walls began to rip apart, but still only the five of them noticed.

The grating and tiles all were sucked into a tunnel and it appeared as if the wall of the station was blinking and revealing a beautiful white beach with a stone jutting out from it.

Then the train finished passing and they found themselves in a cave, and directly outside was the beach.

They walked together and released each others hands, but noone went faster or slower.

As they stopped at the mouth of the cave the Pevensie' children looked at each other and great smiles covered each of their faces.

The girls laughed and then they all ran off, removing extra articles of clothing as they ran.

"Shame you're not as quick as me, Ed!" Peter called behind him as he removed his jacket.

"Last one in's a rotten egg!" Susan called out as she jumped into the pristine waves.

"Watch out!" Lucy called as she flipped off her shoes.

"Here it comes!" Peter called out.

They were all laughing and splashing each other.

Lucy ran back to remove her vest, "Wait a minute!"

"Come on, Susan. Hurry up!" Edmund called out.

"Come on Addye, it's lovely." Susan called.

"Edmund." Susan cried out as he splashed her.

Addye watched the difference blossom over each of them.

Peter seemed to change the most.

He hadn't smiled or laughed once while in England.

And now that they were here, he couldn't seem to stop himself from doing either.

Addye placed her bag gently on the ground and peeled off her clothes until she was only in her shirt and skirt.

They splashed her as she got in and she gasped from the cold.

Happily she tackled Susan into the water and both came up spluttering happily, their hair flat against their skull.

"Ed?" Susan looked around for a moment looking for her brother, "Ed!"

He stood still and after a few more splashes here and there, everyone stopped.

"What is it?" Peter asked his brother, the grin still plastered on his face.

"Where do you suppose we are?" Edmund asked as he looked up at the ledge.

"Well where do you think?" Peter gestured around.

"Well I don't remember any ruins in Narnia." He pointed upwards.

Everyone glanced up to see the crumbling ruins of a stone castle.

"Is that where we are?" Addye asked as she involuntarily shivered.

"Yeah, have you been here before?" Lucy asked.

Addye shook her head, "My Da told me about it. He was here when it was first created. He was just a boy then."

"We know." Susan whispered.

They stood there a few moments longer and then walked from the water and collected their clothing.

Then they made the slow and tedious way up the hill.

There were apple trees growing everywhere so they reached up and picked a few.

Each wandered around he ruins by themselves exploring and wondering what had happened.

"I wonder who lived here." Lucy said from a ledge.

Susan hit her toe on something and bent down to pick up a gold chessman.

"I think we did." She whispered as she ran her fingers over the found treasure.

Everyone came to the small clearing and Edmund pointed at the centaur chessman, "Hey, that's mine! From my chess set."

"Which chess set?" Peter asked as he came up behind his brother.

"I didn't exactly have a solid gold chess set set in Finchley, did I?" Edmund asked as he reached out for the small relic.

Lucy looked around with renewed eyes and whispered, "It can't be."

She ran towards and mass of rock and everyone followed.

"Don't you see?" Lucy cried out.

"What?" Peter asked as she drug him to a spot and turned him.

"Imagine walls," she adjusted Susan, "And columns, there," she went to stand a few feet away, "And a glass roof."

They all stood in silence until Peter came to the conclusion that noone wanted to say out loud, "Cair Paravel."

Edmund lead the way and then knelt down, "Catapults."

"What?" Peter asked as he walked to his brother.

"This didn't just happen. Cair Paravel was attacked."

Realisation dawned on everyone's face.

Peter's brow creased and he walked up to one of the remaining walls and he and Edmund began to push against it.

"Well....It looks old enough." Addye said as the marble was pushed away to reveal a rotted wooden door.

Peter took out his pocket knife and began to cut away the wood by the handle, until it just peeled off.

He then cut the edge of his shirt and wrapped it around a branch.

"Don't suppose you have any matches, do you?" Peter asked his brother.

"No but...would this help?" Edmund took his new torch from his bag.

"You might have mentioned that a bit sooner." Peter laughed as he threw the make shift torch.

Edmund led the way in and the girls followed.

Peter gestured for Addye to go ahead of him.

Shakily she reached out on either side of her and ran her fingers along the walls.

"They're not going to move in you know."Peter pointed out.

"Still..." she whispered nervously.

They walked in a slow progression until they went down two flights of stairs and through an iron gate.

"I can't believe it. It's all still here." Peter said with a grin on his face.

Lucy, Susan, and Edmund ran excitedly to their chests, but Peter remained where he was and picked up a golden shield.

"I was so tall." Lucy said as she held a dress up against her body.

"Well, you were older then." Susan said sympathetically.

"As opposed to hundreds of years later...when you're younger." Edmund pointed out, as he placed his helmet on his head.

They giggled lightly, and Peter blew the dust off of the shield, and staring up at him was Aslan.

He was silent as he looked at the older statue of himself, and he took slow steps towards it.

Almost as if all the wisdom he had had then was reentering his mind with each step.

Susan frowned.

"What is it?" Lucy asked.

"My horn...I must've left it on my saddle, the day we went back."

Peter paused in front of his chest, and it almost seemed as though he bowed before the statue as he opened the lid.

Everyone stopped what they were doing just to watch what he was doing.

The first thing he removed from his chest, was a sheathed sword, he removed the blade and it had no signs of ware.

"When Aslan bares his teeth, winter meets its death..." Peter recited words that were fifteen years old to his mind, one year old to his body, and fifteen hundred years old to Narnia.

"When he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again." Lucy whispered, "Everyone we knew...Mr. Tumnus and the Beavers, they're all gone."

Addye reached for Lucy and the girl pressed her face against her chest.

Sadness showed on each of the Pevensies' faces.

"I think it's time we found out what's going on." Peter said as he sheathed his sword.

He reached into the chest again, and withdrew a brown tunic, with a robin's eggshell blue shirt, his belt, leather boots, and leather britches.

Edmund nodded, and removed a indigo tunic, a sky blue shirt, leather britches, leather boots, his belt, and sword.

"We'll be outside, changing." Peter said.

Susan dressed in a purple archery dress, leather slippers and she slung her quiver and bow across her back.

Lucy dressed herself in her smallest attire,a red and gold dress with golden leather slippers, and a red belt on which her cordial and dagger were slung.

Susan pulled Addye to her trunk, "You're almost as tall as me, pick one."

Her fingers were shaking and she barely touched them if possible.

Towards the bottom, she found a brown riding dress.

It had a lace up back, and eccentric detailing of a tree on the chest, it had tight full length sleeves, and a forest green cord belt.

"This one?" She whispered.

"Anyone that'd you'd like." Susan reached into the chest and removed some green stockings and riding boots.

They were leather, and thigh high.

"These go with it."

"They're ridiculous."

"They still go with it. Now undress so I can help lace you up."

Addye murmured irritably.

Addye put on the stockings first and then pulled on the boots, rather than try to fight to put them on while in a dress.

She sat there lacing one while Susan laced the other.

After the boots and stockings were correctly on she removed her skirt and shirt.

She heard Lucy try to hide her gasp of surprise when she saw the purple bruise and the fact that she could count every rib in her body.

"Addye..." Susan said slowly, "How much?"

"How much what?" She asked confusedly.

"How much do you have with you?" Susan pointed at the bruise.

Addye felt all the blood drain from her face.

"One. I only have one. The others were packed in the suitcase so they wouldn't break." Addye started to hyper ventilate, "Susan I only have one. I normally take three a day!"

Susan placed her head in her hands, "You've had one dose today. So we'll divide the one you have into three days. Aslan will know what to do after that. Do you have a marker in your bag?"

Addye nodded, "It's in the zipper pocket."

Slowly Addye stepped into the dress and pulled it onto her arms.

Susan carefully made three large lines on the syringe, and two smaller lines in between each.

There was barely anything there.

Susan sighed and placed it back into the bag.

She walked behind Addye and pulled the laces as tight as they would go, so the dress wouldn't slip off of her creamy white shoulders.

"Lucy, Addye's a diabetic. And we'd rather you not tell either of the boys, because they'd try and treat her different."

Lucy nodded, "Alright."

Susan handed Addye a dagger and a sword.

"No bow for you." The two girls smiled and laughed and tears welled up in their eyes from the memory.

"I still can't believe you shot him. I would've loved to see that."

"So we know not to trust me with a bow, but who says anyone's safe if I have a sword?" Addye asked as she strapped it around her waste and wrapped the dagger around her thigh like Susan told her to.

She ran her fingers through her hair, and just gave up on trying to do anything to it.

"Are you girls ready **yet?**" Edmund called down.

"We'll be up in a few moments. But if you'd be so kind to come back here with your torch, that'd be great." Susan called up.

"Fine, I'm coming." He grumbled.

The girls glanced at the room one last time, and then met Ed on the landing.

"Onward, to the vast lands of Narnia." He said leading them up the stairs.

When they reached the door, the sun was blinding.

They all squinted, "I guess we should find a way off of the island first off." Peter said,

"Come on." He called over his shoulder.

The girls rolled their eyes and then followed after.


	6. Nature's Hatred

Disclaimer: Alright, with school and the loss of my brother and great-grandfather I haven't really had a lot of time to write and I probably won't write much until spring break and summer vacation. Constructive Criticism always welcomed and heck I'll even take a few flames.

They'd walked the island twice, and there seemed no way off but to swim.

Which was not a favorable idea, for the fact of how vast the river was, and how heavy their clothes were.

Addye sighed, "There doesn't happen to be any hidden passages to go under the water in the ruins, possibly?"

Susan laughed, "I wish. No, Cair Paravel had been on a penninsula when we lived here.

Everyday there was just as eccentric as the last.

The parties were always magnificent.

And the guests, oh the guests were always the most interesting characters.

And it seems like so long ago now, but in our world it was only last year, when we were coronated as the kings and queens of Narnia.

And you would have just adored the beavers, the sweetest couple if you had ever met one.

Oh Addye, I wish you could've seen it as it was!"

Addye smiled and nodded, imagining the things she described.

"Why don't you tell her the story from the beginning, Sue?" Edmund suggested, as Susan broke into what a once in a life time experience it had been to ride on Aslan's back.

And so she did, with the others interrupting at parts to say the next bit.

They all wore childish grins as they spoke of the past and of their friends.

And Addye felt like she'd been left behind, for the only ones she'd known from Narnia were not quite from Narnia at all but from the stories her Da would tell her about how they found Narnia before making her go to bed.

Places like the wood between worlds, where you felt terribly sleepy, and as if you had never existed else ware.

And Charn, where Jadis, the White Witch originated from.

And then how pure Narnia had been in the beginning, even though tainted before birth.

"My father would always spoke of this flying horse, Strawberry was his name in our world, but the great lion Aslan, named him Fledge for he would be the father of all flying horses.

Did they still have flying horses when you reined?"

Lucy closed her eyes and tried to remember something of the sort, but nothing rang any bells.

"Is that a boat?" Edmund asked suddenly pointing out over the dunes.

At that moment two men stood and between them they held a dwarf with hands and feet bound.

They five of them ran up the coast, and as Susan reached a sand dune close to the shore, she managed to shoot the side of the boat and yell, "Drop him"

A small amount of muffled murmuring came from the dwarf and the two soldiers threw him off of the boat.

Peter ran to the water, and dived in to save the Narnian.

Whilst Susan shot and killed one soldier, the other jumped into the water, so Edmund swam to retrieve the boat.

As Peter dragged the dwarf from the water the three girls rushed towards them.

In a flourish, Lucy had cut the bonds that tied the dwarfs wrists and he removed the gag to spit out the water and breathe in air.

"Drop Him! Is that the best you could come up with?" The dwarf immediately began complaining.

"A simple 'Thank You' would suffice." Susan said startled.

"They were doing fine drowning me without your help."

"Maybe we should have let them." Peter said as the dwarf continued his rant.

"Why were they trying to kill you anyways?" Lucy asked, trying to be civil.

"They're Telmarines, it's what they do." He said as he shook the water from his hands.

"Telmarines! In Narnia?" Edmund said startled.

"Where have you been the past few hundred years." The dwarf grumbled.

"It's a bit of a long story." Lucy said looking around.

Addye walked back from the dune and handed Peter his sword.

The dwarf looked between the five of them, "You've got to be kidding me. You're it? You're the kings and queens of old?"

Peter nodded and reached out his hand, "High King Peter, The Magnificent."

The dwarf looked at him strangely and Susan giggled, "You probably could've left off the last bit."

"Probably." The dwarf smirked.

"You might be surprised," Peter said as he withdrew his sword.

"Oh you don't want to do that boy."

"Not me, him." Peter said as he turned the hilt to the dwarf.

The dwarf took the sword, and at first he let the tip hit the ground.

Edmund looked at the others, wondering if this was a seriously fair fight.

The dwarf swung, Edmund blocked, the dwarf swung high, Ed ducked.

The dwarf punched him in the face, "Edmund!" Lucy cried.

"Oh are you alright?" The dwarf feigned care as he took another swing.

Edmund dogged him and give him a sharp tap on the rear with the flat of the blade.

Thrust, block, jump, pary, twirl of the swords, thrust, hit, hit, Edmund disarmed his opponent.

"Beards and beards, maybe that horn worked after all." the dwarf said as he collapsed to the ground.

"What horn?" Susan asked intrigued.

The dwarf sighed, "I guess I should start at the beginning."

He adjusted himself into a comfortable sitting position and he began the story.

"So it would appear that not two weeks ago the Telmarines Lord Protector's wife gave birth to a son. And so this Lord Protector had his head of guard go murder his nephew Caspian X, so he and his son could be the next line of kings. Well that didn't work so well, because somehow or another the nephew found out and fled the castle into the woods. His horse dragged him in front of mine, Trufflehunter, and Nikabrik's house, and since we'd been spotted I was going to kill him. On the ground was Queen Susan's horn, the one that is in every Narnian child's story book. Well he blew it and Nikkabrik knocked him into unconsciousness while I tried to ward off his pursuers. Obviously they caught me, and were blaming the Narnian's for the kidnapping of the sole heir to the throne. So then the Lord Protector told them to drown me, and that brings us back here. And ta the fact that there's five of yeh instead of four."

"Oh, um I'm not...I'm just...I don't really know..." Addye mumbled.

"Addye's not a queen, but she is with us." Susan clarified.

"So you're High King Peter, The Magnificent. You're Queen Susan, The Fair. You're King Edmund, The Just. And you are The Queen Lucy, The Valient." He justified each as they were.

"Well you know who we are, but we still have yet to learn of your name." Edmund said.

"Trumpkin." he said.

And with introductions over, everyone clamored into the boat; Lucy and Trumpkin in front, Peter and Edmund rowing, and Susan and Addye in the back.

They rode in silence for a long while, everyone collecting their thoughts.

Finally Lucy's sad voice flowed through the air as she looked up out of the canyon, "They're so still."

"The trees, what'd you expect?" Trumpkin asked as he followed her line of vision.

"They used to dance." She replied wistfully.

"It wasn't long after you lot left that the Telmarines invaded, those who survived retreated to the woods, and the trees retreated so far within themselves that no one's heard from them sense."

"I don't understand. How could Aslan have let this happen?"

"I thought he abandoned us when you lot left."

Peter looked back at him, "We didn't mean to leave, you know."

"It makes no difference now does it?" Trumpkin said as he turned to the front of the boat.

"Get us to the Narnian's and it will."

Peter rowed on in silence, and Addye looked into his eyes but couldn't fathom what he was thinking.

She gave him a weak smile, but he frowned and turned his head.

Addye sighed and as she reached for her bag she realized that Peter had changed in a matter of hours from miserable, to happy, and then back to glum, England Peter..

She took out her journal and pastels, and carefully she drew the scenery around them, trying to imagine the world she was in as it had been.

Her fingers etched the ripples of the river, the rainbow's reflection off of the waterfalls, the dip of the oar into the water.

And when she found herself bored with that she focussed on the dwarf at the front of the boat.

She began the tedious operation of drawing Trumpkin, but since he did not sit still long enough she had to improvise in spots.

Susan watched as she drew, pointed out things here and there that she could add in.

"Would you like to try?" Addye asked handing Susan the journal.

"I don't know what to do." She laughed.

"Pick something that isn't moving, like a leaf, or the grain of the boat, or Ed's eye or something."

"Okay, now what?" Susan asked as she stared intently at her brother's face.

"Study it. Memorize every line, dot, and imperfection. Then close your eyes and draw the picture in your mind, can you see it?"

Susan nodded.

Addye held out a piece of charcoal, "Now draw it."

Edmund would attempt to scratch, or sneeze, or blink and Susan would hiss for him to sit still.

"Like that?" Susan asked as she held up a picture of a potato with hair and a face.

"Erm....I guess that's okay for a beginner."

Susan laughed, "You draw him then."

"He's not doing something he enjoys though. I can't draw a picture of someone who's miserable."

Susan took the journal and pointed to the picture of Trumpkin.

"Well, I don't think he's ever going to be happy so that's different."

"You do realize I'm sitting right here, yes?" Trumpkin asked from the front of the boat.

The girls laughed lightly.

"Pete, lets pull onto that beach for the night. It'll be dark in a few hours and we need to find camp." Edmund suggested.

Peter glared at his brother, but rowed to shore anyways.

Ed and Peter jumped from the boat into waste deep water to pull the boat further onto land.

Addye, Susan, and Trumpkin helped when it was by the boys knees and Lucy walked along the beach.

Addye leaned over her knees in exhaustion when they had pulled the boat far enough onto shore to not need them all.

"Are you alright?" Edmund asked over her shoulders.

She nodded, "Yeah, just a little tired."

"Hello there! … It‟s alright, we‟re friends." Lucy's voice carried.

Trumpkin looked up from securing the boat, "Don‟t move, your majesty!"

Addye looked up in horror as she saw the bear charge Lucy.

'_Not again. Not to Lucy,'_ She thought '_God, not Lucy.'_

She ran, Peter by her side, she raced towards Lucy.

Susan fitted an arrow to the string, "Stay away from her!"

Edmund screamed, "Susan, shoot!"

As the bear continues to charge, Lucy falls and screams.

Just before it reaches her, an arrow hits the bear and it falls over.

Susan looks over and sees that it was Trumpkin who fired.

"Why wouldn't he stop?" Susan asked.

He looked straight into her eyes and honestly replied, "I expect he was hungry."

As they reached the bear, Peter held his sword towards the bear waiting for it to move and Addye fell to her knees pulling Lucy towards her.

Lucy desperately clung to her and both girls gasped for breath.

"He was wild." Edmund said as he placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder.

Peter frowned, "I don't think he could talk at all."

Trumpkin looked at each of them carefully, "Get treated like a dumb animal long enough and that‟s what you become."

Trumpkin drew his knife and knelt beside the bear.

"You may find Narnia a more savage place than you remember."

"We'll set up camp around here, go search for firewood." Peter said in a cool tone.

The girls nodded and Addye gagged as Trumpkin began to gut the bear.

They walked in silence picking up kindling and large branches.

After about ten minutes Lucy's murmured something uncomprehendable.

"What was that Lu?" Susan asked as she bent down to pick up a dry bough.

Her small voice seemed to cut through the silence, "You didn't shoot."

Susan's body went rigid, "I couldn't Lu, I tried to desperately to let go."

Lucy's head was hung in silence.

"I couldn't shoot something innocent, and then it started chasing you and I was too paralyzed by fear to move."

Susan fell silent for a moment, "If you had died I would've never forgiven myself."

Lucy smiled though, "I forgive you though, I just wanted to know why."

Addye looked at Lucy curiously, she was startled but she would get over it.

They had been used to the danger of being royalty, it would take a few days to be used to defending themselves but they would fall back in que sooner or later.

"Come on lets get back to the beach so we can deposit this wood." Susan suggested.

"I need to take my shot." Addye said vexed.

"Oh, alright then let's do that now." Susan said momentarily forgetting about Addye's condition.

"I'm sorry that I'm such a bother." Addye whispered as she pushed the insulin to the second mark on the syringe.

"You're not a bother, because it will never be your fault." Lucy said innocence shinning away on her face.

"_This is ALL my fault, I'm so so..sorr...sorry Ra...Rayne. I'...I'm soo...s..sorry." Addye choked in tears._

"_It's not.....you're fault. L....lo...look at me, th..this will n...never be your fault. Add...Addye it isn't your fault." Her sister said a hand gently placed on her cheek._

_Rayne began to gasp and a small trickle of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth._

"_NO! D...don't go R..Rayne, p..please Ra...Rayne, you...you've gotta make it puh....please Rayne."_

"Addye whats wrong?" Susan asked standing with a hand on Addye's shoulder.

"Nothing, I just...it's nothing." Addye smiled shaking her head and placing the syringe back into her dress purse.

"Alright, let's head back then." Susan suggested.

Addye nodded as she picked up her bundle of sticks and followed the girls back to the beach.

Peter looked up when they entered camp and took the wood from them and began building a fire while complaining about them taking so long.

They had moved the carcass of the bear so they wouldn't have to see or smell it.

For dinner the men had taken the apples from the grove and wrapped a piece of the bear meat around it and stuck them to sharp sticks to let sit above the fire.

Addye sat silently pretending to listen to their conversations of how Narnia was and is, but all the while lost in her own train of thought.

Addye waited an hour after they had all decided to sleep and then went with her sketch pad and sat with her dress pulled up to her thighs with her feet in the water.

Her fingers traced the deft moon and she began to sing quietly.

"_What has happened to the wind that filled my sails and the moon that moved my tides? The sun can no longer come up in your eyes. You were the one I clung to in the dark and whispered I was soo scared, so tell me dear what happened to never leaving. _What happened to never leaving." Addye murmured as her fingers traced the ripples in the water.

The words sounded bitter compared to how they had initially been written. It'd been trustful because the wind, the moon, the sun, they'd always been there.

But on some days everyone's let down.

Her eyes slid closed as she trembled at the slight breeze that tousled her hair.

She heard the sand part slightly as someone sat beside her.

He was silent as he pulled his trousers to his knees and placed them in the chilly water.

Peter stared straight ahead, carefully contemplating what to say.

"You ran for Lucy while there was a bear chasing her," Peter paused, "Why? Why did you chase her while her own sister was so paralyzed in fear she couldn't let loose an arrow?"

Addye sighed, moving her eyes back to the paper and adding his features to the picture, "Noone deserves to lose a sibling like that, to watch them die as you watch helplessly from a few feet away."

"There was a horror in your eyes when that bear chased her, you ran to the jaws of a bear." Peter couldn't comprehend the fact that she had been so reckless.

"You did the same thing. The only difference is you were armed with a weapon you know how to use, I ran to save a life even if it cost my own."

He stared into her eyes the next time she looked up, and the eyes were angry and confused.

"Don't try to figure it out, because you'll be digging yourself into a hole and burrying yourself in it." Addy whispered standing and adjusting her skirts.

She began to walk back to the smoldering fire.

"Addye," Peter called and she turned, "Thanks."

She nodded.

"I wasn't finished yet. Thanks, but try not to be such an idiot. We won't always be around to help you if you get in trouble."


	7. See You At the Woods

Disclaimer: Okay I'm really starting to get annoyed with how fanfiction keeps mashing together my paragraphs even though I put like booku enough space in between them so I'm going to put a little dash thingy in between paragraphs, this does not mean that it is a new setting.

The sun was high in the sky as the group trudged along.

Peter leading the way, the girls hanging slightly back talking and laughing, and Edmund and Trumpkin in the rear.

"I don't remember this way at all." Susan said as she looked around her.

Bemused Peter called behind him, "That's the problem with girls. You can't carry a map in your heads."

Lucy smirked, "That's because our heads have something in them."

Susan turned to Addye, "I wish he'd just listen to the DLF."

"DLF?" Edmund asked intrigued.

"Dear Little Friend." Lucy smiled cleverly.

Trumpkin stopped for a moment, "Oh, that's not patronizing, is it?"

Peter steps into a rock passage and stops as he looks around for a moment.

"I'm not lost." He mumured

"No… you're just going the wrong way." Trumpkin said as he gestured around himself.

"You said you last saw Caspian at the Shuddering Wood, and the quickest way there is to cross at the river rush." Peter argued.

"But, unless I'm mistaken, there's no crossing in these parts." Trumpkin replied slightly annoyed.

"That explains it then. You're mistaken." Peter said stubbornly and continued walking.

"Was he always like this?" Addye asked tiredly.

Lucy nodded, "Always."

--

They walked for a while until they came to the gorge. They look down at the rushing water below.

Addye gulped nervously taking a step back.

" You see, over hundreds of years, water eroded the earth's soil…" Susan said logically and just to annoy her brother.

"Oh, shut up. Is there a way down?" Peter asked bitterly.

"Yeah, falling. Come. There's a ford at Beruna. Any of you mind swimming?" Trumpkin began to walk along the gorge.

"Any thing's better than walking." Susan said following.

They start to walk away. But Lucy glances back…

"Aslan? … It's Aslan! It's Aslan over there! Well, can't you see? He's right…"

--

She turns back and sees nothing. Her smile fades.

"… there."

Trumpkin looked around, "Do you see him now?"

"I'm not crazy. He was there. He wanted us to follow him." Lucy said desperately trying to get them to understand.

"I'm sure there are any number of lions in this wood. Just like that bear." Peter said placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I think I know Aslan when I see him." Lucy replied.

Trumpkin stared at each of them in turn, "Look, I‟m not about to jump off a cliff after someone who doesn't exist."

Edmund sighed, "Look, the last time I didn't believe Lucy, I ended up looking pretty stupid."

Peter looks across the gorge and frowns.

"Why wouldn't I have seen him?" He asked Lucy quietly.

"Maybe you weren't looking." Lucy said desperately.

Peter shook his head, "I'm sorry, Lu."

--

As they begin to walk away Lucy looked across the gorge sadly.

"I believe you Lu." Addye whispered in her ear.

"Why didn't you say anything then?" Lucy whined.

"I'm not sure my vote counts, plus Peter seems to be determined to figure this out be himself. And when Peter Pevensie has his mind set on something nothing can change it."1

Lucy shrugged, "I guess I understand."

"Lets just follow his lead for now, and then you can gloat when you're right." Addye encouraged her as they followed the others.

"Aslan wouldn't like that very much, he would want me to accept my victory humbly." Lucy smiled up at her.

"Then do that, and let nothing taint your humility." Addye said tapping the younger girl's nose.

--

As they approach the river the tell tale signs of hard labor were present all around them.

Telmarine men worked to build a bridge across the river.

The group hid behind a group of felled trees to watch the procession.

"Perhaps this wasn't the best way after all." Susan whispered.

Peter gestured for them to stay low and go back up to the gorge.

Lucy shot Addye a triumphant smile.

Addye shook her head and mouthed, 'What happened to humility?'

Lucy pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth and followed the others.

--

As they came back to the spot where they had previously been standing Peter sighed defeated.

"Where do you think you saw Aslan?" He asked Lucy.

"I wish you'd all stop acting like grown-ups. I didn't think I saw him, I did see him. At least Addye believed me, you're all so stubborn and determined to be who you were. Well you're not so get over it and be who you are now!" Lucy yelled frustratedly.

Trumpkin shuffled his feat, "I am a grown-up."

Lucy smirked, "Anyways,it was right around…"

Lucy steps to the edge of the gorge and the ground collapses underneath her and she screams.

The others rush over and see her sitting safely just a few feet down.

She smiles up at them, "… here."

--

Looking down, they see a steep and narrow path going slantwise down into the gorge between rocks.

Peter tilts his head sideways a bit, "That'll work."

He lowered himself down and then preceded to help everyone down.

When Addye was lowered she automatically pressed against the rock wall behind her.

"Scared?" Susan smirked.

"I hate heights." she murmured walking slowly down behind the others.

Peter stood behind her and grabbed her shoulders when she got her foot stuck into a hole that would've made her tumble into the gorge.

She gasped, and with wide eyes stares at him, "Thanks."

He just frowned and motioned for her to keep moving.

As they came to the river in the gorge they walked single filed and when Lucy slips, Trumpkin catches her.

Lucy gives him a smile of gratitude and then looks up at the trees.

* * *

They had finally stopped for the night, the boys were asleep and Susan and Lucy stared at the night sky above them.

"Lucy, you awake?" Susan asked quietly.

"Hmm." She smiled, adjusting a little.

Susan murmured, "Why do you think I couldn't see Aslan?"

Lucy sits up.

Lucy looked at her hopefully, "You believe me?"

Susan sighed and turned away, "Well, we got across the gorge."

Lucy frowned, "… I don't know. Maybe you didn't really want to."

Trumpkin and Addye lay silently listening to the exchange.

Susan contemplated her words for a moment, "You always knew we'd be coming back here, didn't you?"

Lucy smiled, "I hoped so."

Susan groaned, "I just got used to the idea of living in England."

Lucy looked hurt but her sister couldn't see her, "But you're happy to be here, aren't you?"

Susan closed her eyes, "While it lasts."

Everyone seemed to drift away, in their own time falling asleep.

But Addye couldn't.

She placed a hand on her chest as a sharp pain ripped across her.

She gasped in quiet pain trying to sit up.

"Please, not now. Dear God not now." She murmured.

And as quickly as it had started, it stopped, "Heavens, Addye you're getting more and more paranoid by the minute."

She lye still and fell into a shallow slumber.

--

Addye decided that Lucy must have many night terrors.

Around dawn she started talking in her sleep, and now she was up trying to wake Susan.

Lucy crawled to her sister, "Susan, get up!"

Susan turns and murmurs in her sleep, "Certainly, Lu. Whatever you like."

Lucy sighed and walks away again, placing her palm on one of the trees.

Sadly she whispered almost inaudibly, "Wake up."

Tiredly Addye wiped a hand over her face.

Peter was on his knees beside her a finger pressed to his lips.

He motioned for her to wake the others and then left to follow Lucy.

--

As she placed a hand on Edmund's shoulder she heard Lucy's small voice call out, "Aslan?"

He looked up at her surprised and she gestured in the direction Peter and Lucy had gone.

He nodded and helped her wake Susan and Trumpkin.

There came the tell tale sounds of clashing swords and then Lucy was screaming, "No!"

Horrified everyone sprints over to the voices.

Peter sounded winded as he asked, "Prince Caspian?"

The proclaimed Caspian answered, "Yes. And who are you?"

--

"Peter!" Susan cried out as they rounded a bush to see the Narnians.

Caspian looks down at the sword in his hands and then looks up at Peter.

Puzzled he asked almost hesitantly, "High King Peter?"

Peter put on a face of dignity and wrapped an arm around Lucy, "I believe you called."

Caspian shrugged, "Well yes, but… I thought you'd be older."

Peter began to turn making eye contact with Edmund and winking, "Well, if you'd like, we can come back in a few years."

"No! No, that's alright. You're just… You're not exactly what I expected." Caspian cried out.

Caspian looks between Susan and Addye.

"Neither are you!" Edmund says as he looks at a minotaur.

Trufflehunter smiled, "A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes."

Addye leaned over towards Susan, "Did that badger just...talk?"

Susan almost laughed at the similarity of her own original words and nodded, "It does take a bit of getting used to, even if you have heard the stories."

Addye nodded eyebrows raised with an, 'Uh huh.' look on her face.

--

Reepicheep bowed and then looked up to Peter, "We have anxiously awaited your return, my liege. Our hearts and swords are at your service."

Lucy gasped and then whispered to the two older girls, "Oh my gosh, he is so cute."

Reepicheep draws his sword and points it around himself, "Who said that?!"

Lucy flushed and Addye and Susan had to hide pearls of laughter, "… Sorry. "

Reepicheep looked flustered for a moment, "Oh, uh… your majesty. With the greatest respect…I do believe courageous, courteous, or chivalrous might more befit a knight of Narnia."

Peter smiled, "Well, at least we know some of you can handle a blade."

Reepicheep smiled at the praise, "Yes, indeed. And I have recently put it to good use acquiring weapons for your army, sire."

He nodded, "Good. Because we're going to need every sword we can get."

Caspian smirked, "Well then, you'll probably be wanting yours back."

Caspian gives Peter his sword, who sheathes it, and walks away.

--

The Narnians, led by Peter and Caspian, walk through the forest.

Trufflehunter finally asks, "So, what are they like?"

Trumpkin sighed, "Complainers… Stubborn as mules in the morning."

Nikabrik smirked, "So you like 'em?"

Trumpkin smiled and replied gruffly, "Well enough."

"This is so weird." Addye groaned as she walked next to a chattering squirrel.

"You get used to it fast," Lucy smiled with a slight skip in her step, "He's kinda cute."

"Who?" Susan asked all the while staring ahead of her.

"Who, oh I guess she must be talking about the other hunk of marble you're staring at." Addye teased, the smile didn't meet her eyes.

"Oh! Him....I don't think he and Peter get on very well if you catch my meaning."

Lucy nodded, "They're fine now, but I figure when it comes to any type of tactic they'll be butting heads."

"Can I tempt you with some fruit?" A fawn asked them as he held a golden pear in his hand.

Addye rubbed her stomach, she was starving but out of insulin, "Sure."

--

As they enter Aslan's How, they see Centaurs standing on either side of the entrance with raised swords. Caspian stops and lets the Pevensies go first, walking with Addye upon entering.

"I'm afraid I haven't been a very hospitable host." Caspian apologized.

"I'm sorry?" Addye asked confused.

"I haven't caught your name." He offerred.

Addye flushed, "Oh, it's Addye. Adelynn, really."

"And are you royalty as well? Perhaps from somewhere up north or beyond the seas?" He questioned.

"Oh, no. I'm just a friend." she smiled.

"You seem too much of a pretty a thing to be _just a friend_." He smiled flashing all of his teeth.

Addye's cheeks burned, "Hiding in the background has always been my specialty. My sister loved being the center of attention."

"Hiding, such a shame. Perhaps you need to ge..."

Peter abruptly interrupted him. "Shall you show us around?"

"I will speak with you again later, Adelynn?" He asked.

Addye nodded, "That'd be...nice."

"Addye! Come on we're going to look around!" Lucy called.

Addye gave Caspian a half curtsy and then walked briskly to catch up with Ed, Susan, and Lucy.

--

"So what were you two talking about?" Lucy nudged.

"Hmm? Oh nothing really, he was just being coy." Addye shrugged.

They walked along lit corridors until they found a wall decorated with many pictures.

"Hieroglyphs!" Addye said excitedly bending down to examine them.

"Is that?" Edmund asked.

"Oh my..." Lucy said surprised.

Susan ran to find Peter.

--

Lucy pointed at a picture of a faun with an umbrella, "That's Mr. Tumnus, he was the first person....err _fawn_ I ever met in Narnia."

"Do you miss him terribly?" Addye asked.

Lucy nodded, and then Susan came back pointing to the wall.

"It's us."

Lucy looked to Caspian, "What is this place?"

Caspian looked puzzled, "You don't know?"

They all kind of shook their heads as if saying, "Obviously not, if we're asking you..."

Caspian picked up a torch and leads them down a dark tunnel.

As they come to a halt, Caspian lights a fire and it spreads around a room.

In its path revealing carvings of Narnians and Aslan… and the cracked Stone Table.

Lucy looks at the carving of Aslan and slowly walks forward.

She turns back, "He must know what he's doing."

Peter frowned, "I think it's up to us now."

"I don't understand..." Addye whispered.

They all looked up at the carving of Aslan.

* * *

"It's only a matter of time. Miraz's men and war machines are on their way. That means those same men aren't protecting his castle." Peter finished.

Reepicheep looked dutifully towards Peter, "What do you propose we do, Sire?"

"We—", Caspian began.

"Our—" Peter started.

Peter looks at Caspian, whom concedes.

"Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us." Peter said placing his hands on the stone table.

Caspian shook his head, "But that's crazy, no one has ever taken that castle."

Peter shrugged, "There's always a first time."

Trumpkin nodded in favor of Peter's plan, "We'll have the element of surprise."

Caspian began to defiantly answer, "But we have the advantage here."

Susan nodded, "If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely."

Trufflehunter agreed, "I, for one, feel safer underground."

"Look, I appreciate what you've done, but this isn't a fortress, it's a tomb." Peter explained to Caspian.

Edmund nodded and gestured around, "Yes, and if the Telmarines are smart, they'll just starve us out."

Pattertwig excitedly jumped around, "We could collect nuts!"

"Oh yes, and throw them at the Telmarines! … Shut up!" Reepicheep retorted sarcastically and then turned to Peter.

"I think you know where I stand on this, Sire."

"I don't understand why there must be war at all." Addye said from her seat on the ground.

"Why not compromise or make a deal. Killing for peace makes no sense to me. All it does is kill innocent people with families who will probably forever hold a grudge against you. All because you wanted _peace_."

"There can be no compromise made with one who has blood lust seeping from his lips. And as for the _innocent_ people, they would fight only to guard their lives if they are truly innocent." Peter said giving her the basic principle of the thing.

Addye shook her head, strong dislike for the topic incinerating from her eyes.

Peter shook his head and then looked towards the mighty Centaur, Glenstorm, "If I can get your troops in, can you handle the guards?"

Glenstorm nodded placing a hand on his chest. "Or die trying, my liege."

"That's what I'm worried about." Lucy spoke for the first time from on top of the stone table.

"Sorry?" Peter asked uncomprehending.

Lucy looked around, "Well, you're all acting like there are only two options: Dying here, or dying there."

Peter frowned, "I'm not sure you've really been listening, Lu."

Lucy shook her head violently, "No, you're not listening. Or have you forgotten who really defeated the White Witch, Peter?"

Peter glared at her, "I think we've waited for Aslan long enough."

And with that he left the room.

* * *

Lucy and Addye sat in the Stone Table room while everyone prepared for war.

They won't listen to me. Without Aslan here, we're not going to win!" Lucy said about to cry.

"Lu, the only thing we can do now is wish them well when they go, have faith when they're gone, and give them our love and support when they come back. Aslan will...keep them safe. Whether they want him to or not. But you are right, without him here, without our whole army's faith being in him, we will lose."Addye said to the girl.

"Can't you at least talk to him?" Lucy begged.

"I'll try, but you know how he is..." Addye said standing.

"Pigheaded. When he has his mind set on something, nothing can change it." Lucy sighed.

"But you can always try." She added quickly.

Addye smiled, "I'll be back."

-

She walked slowly down the corridors, counting turns carefully as she traced her fingers upon the walls.

As she came to the main area of the cave, the one that had been bustling with activity not but a few hours before, everything was still as everyone was around the caves retrieving what they needed.

But Peter stood with armor laid out next to him, as he dressed.

He knelt to retrieve his gauntlets but Addye was already handing them up to him.

"Thanks." He murmured gruffly.

"You know why I'm here." Addye said with a weak smile.

Peter nodded and continued to dress, "Lucy wants you to talk me out of going through with it. She did it all the time before."

Addye took a deep breath, "You're going into this because you are trying to prove something, to yourself or to Caspian, I'm personally not sure. But I am sure that you are putting many lives at risk because of your selfishness, Lucy doesn't want you to go because you don't have Aslan defending your army, don't do this because of your own selfish desires Peter. You know it won't end well."

Peter's eyes were cold and emotionless, "You know nothing of war little girl. You don't know how fantastic these opportunities are, they'll never happen again, NEVER. And you have no right to tell me I have some selfish desire, I'm not trying to prove anything!"

"LIAR!" Addye screamed, "You think you can just come back and rule this country again, you don't even know what's happened. You left, be it by accident or not, you did. And though you may think things are the same, everything is different, Peter. **Everything**." Addye began to turn, "And Peter, you have never lived through the things I have, so as far as I'm concerned I'm no _little_ girl."

Peter grabbed her arm roughly, "Don't you ever, tell me how to be a king again, _little girl_. Why don't you run back to your sister in England and cry like you used to always do, or go be a burden upon the profesor. Leave, and tell Lucy she needs to get her knickers out of a bunch, we'll be fine."

Addye was still, unmoving, and hardly breathing.

Desperately she tried to fight the tears, "Peter, I never knew someone could be such an arse about things which they barely understood."

And as she turned to leave she saw Susan staring at her in horror.

"I helped rule this country for fifteen years, I think I understand." Peter said hotly.

"I wasn't referring to your leadership capabilities, Peter." Addye said as she continued to leave.

As she walked, she placed one hand on her chest to stop the newly revived ache and the other over her mouth to stop the sob trying to escape.

Susan's eyes were apologetic as she watched Addye go from a slow walk to a sprint.

--

"Why did you say that?!" Susan yelled.

"She started it, and I knew she wouldn't let it go anytime soon." Peter said as he adjusted pieces of the armor here and there.

"You don't even realize what you've said. My God! She's already sick and now you...with this!" Susan cried out in horror.

"If you haven't realized Su, she's in perfectly fine health." Peter said picking up his sword and walking away.

"I'll apologize when we get back."

"I don't know you anymore." Susan said looking after her brother.

Edmund placed a hand on Susan's shoulder, "What happened?"

"He's a complete idiot." She said shaking her head.

"And we follow him to the death anyways." Edmund stated.

Susan nodded, "T_ouché_."

--

She raced around each turn, running until she was winded.

And then she just collapsed, in a ball on the floor rocking slightly.

She hadn't thought of her in four days, she had been having fun, and then a single sentence ruined everything.

Suddenly she couldn't stop thinking of how Rayne would've liked this and the other in Narnia.

And she also couldn't stop thinking of why her Da was out of money.

All of her medicines, after all these years must have cost tons.

Her whole body trembled as she thought of her sister; frozen, hardly moving in her arms...

"NO!" Addye shouted.

But the memory was already there, forever engrained in her memory.

--

Lucy sat atop the Stone Table when Addye came in wiping her eyes.

"What did he say?" She asked, her eyes hopeful.

Addye shook her head, "He refuses to believe what is laid so blatantly in front of him. He will go on with the raid. He also said something about you getting your knickers out of a bunch."

Lucy frowned, "Did he honestly say that?"

Addye sighed, "Word for word."

Lucy shook her head, "Well, best of luck then."

"I hope they come back alright." Addye whispered.

"They will." Lucy said calmly.

"I shouldn't have blown up at Peter like that, I'll have to apologize when he gets back."

Lucy smiled, "Will you stay here?"

Addye looked at her confused, "Pardon?"

Lucy snuggled against the table, "If I fall asleep will you stay here?"

Addye nodded, "I'll be here. Will you if I fall asleep?"

Lucy nodded, "I'll be here."

--

Peter, Edmund, and Susan walked back into the room to tell Lucy goodbye to see her atop the Stone Table asleep with Addye on the floor head against it.

"They'll be fine." Susan said to comfort them all.

"I hope Lucy won't be too mad at me for not listening to her."Peter whispered, but he was looking at Addye as he said it.

"I'm sure she'll be able to find it in her heart to forgive you." Edmund said with a smile, "Remember, all the times she forgave me."

With one last glance at the sleeping women they left for war.

--

She slept dreamlessly for the first hour or so, but then it was there.

The memory she'd been trying to suppress.

"_And we'll meet back here for seven thirty." Her sisters words rang through her ears._

"_Come on Rayne, it's eight." Addye grumbled as she looked around the empty streets._

_A hand rest upon her shoulder so she turned around with a great smile on her face, only to disappear._

_A tall man, with broad shoulders, and an extremely beefy exterior stood there, "Where's the closest restaurant?" He slurred, slightly rocking on his own two feet. _

_His breath reeked of stale beer and crackers._

_Addye just shook her head, "I have...to go," she managed to stutter and quickly she began to try to walk away. _

_But as she managed to round one corner there were more men, and it appeared that the other man and these all knew each other._

_She turned back and did the two things she knew how to; scream and run._

_She ran as fast as she could, screaming all the way until something hard collided with her leg._

_--_

_She rolled uncontrollably until she was stopped by a foot crushing her rib cage._

_She cried out in pain as they picked her up and threw her against walls._

_They punched her in the face and twisted her arms until she was sure they would break._

_As they beat her with merciless hands a hand always covered her mouth, keeping her from screaming._

_They dropped her onto the ground and began grinding their shoes into her spine enjoying her whimpers of agony._

_Over and over they beat her until she couldn't fight, until she was completely immobilized and every ounce of her being was in utter agony._

--

"_ADDYE!" She tried to open her eyes up, and managed to crack them enough to see her sister running towards them._

"_Rayne..." Addye gasped in pain._

_The first man looked up to find the seventeen-year-old's fist colliding with his nose. _

"_Son of a...." The man howled, holding his nose with one hand while he grabbed Rayne's throat with the other._

_He lifted her from the ground, her nails raking furiously into his skin as she tried to breathe._

"_Let...go." Addye whimpered as the other men continued to assault her._

_--_

_So he did, he released her and she fell to the ground gasping for air._

_Then he kicked her, stepped onto her wrist and ground the heel of his boots into her flesh and grinned a sardonic smile as blood began to pool there._

_He bashed her head against the coble stone street._

_He drew his pocket knife from his pocket and began digging it into her flesh._

_Addye screamed, "Don't hurt her! PLEASE! DON'T HURT HER!!!!"_

_Over and over again, she begged. Each time was met with a harsh kick or a sharp punch._

_--_

_She couldn't remember when they left, but she pulled herself weakly to her sister's side, wrapping her arms around her frigid body and trying to stop the bleeding._

_Her vision was hazy and she couldn't see straight, their blood had mixed and formed a puddle of crimson tears about them._

"_This is ALL my fault, I'm so so..sorr...sorry Ra...Rayne. I'...I'm soo...s..sorry." Addye choked in tears._

"_It's not.....you're fault. L....lo...look at me, th..this will n...never be your fault. Add...Addye it isn't your fault." Her sister said a hand gently placed on her cheek._

_Rayne began to gasp and a small trickle of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth._

"_NO! D...don't go R..Rayne, p..please Ra...Rayne, you...you've gotta make it puh....please Rayne."_

"_Ah...I'm so t..tire...tired Addye...Ju...just a...few momens...." Her voice continually became lower and her eyelids were drooping._

"_S..some....somebody he...help!" Addye cried out in pain._

_--_

_She tipped over onto the ground and held her sister to her chest._

_She heard the screams, and then a few minutes later the sirens, but they were muffled and seemed far away. _

_But the voice that was the loudest was the one leaving this world, "Addye..."she choked slightly, her eyes fluttering closed even more, "see ya....in the woods."_

_And then nothing, for months, there was nothing._

_She'd woken a few days later and demanded to see her sister, so they brought her there._

_Rayne had been connected to about forty tubes, she was unmoving, and the blip of the heart monitor was barely even there._

_She felt a hand on her shoulder and she panicked, but she didn't have to worry it was James._

_He was broken looking at her, his eyes were puffy and tears were threatening to fall._

_She was getting worse, the doctors couldn't help her, they were going to let her go._

_When they pulled the plug on Rayne, and her sister's last heart beat sounded off like the final gun shot, Addye fell from her wheelchair and into a coma._

* * *

Chapter Note: So there you have it, how Rayne died. I didn't want to go too into detail, and plus this is the first time I've ever written abuse. So I would appreciate tips on how to make it better!


	8. Love Him

As Peter was clutched in the massive talons of the griffin, Addye's words circulated throughout his mind.

"_Peter, I never knew someone could be such an arse about things which they barely understood."_

"_I wasn't referring to your leadership capabilities, Peter."_

Peter groaned and then shook his head, there was no time to worry about that.

He had to put all of his attention into this battle.

"Peter, it‟s too late! We have to call it off while we still can!" Susan said standing next to Caspian.

Peter shook his head and continued to turn the giant gear,** "**No, **I can still do this**! Help **me**!"

Susan and Caspian look between each other and then help Peter turn the wheel to open the gate.

"_You're going into this because you are trying to prove something..._

Susan looked toward her brother, **"**Just who exactly are you doing this for, Peter?"

_...to yourself or to Caspian, I'm __personally not sure."_

Peter just continued turning the wheel.

Asterius uses his horns to smash through the first gate and the Narnians charge past Peter, Susan, and Caspian.

They draw their weapons, and run to join the battle, "For Narnia!!" Peter declares.

Addye woke up covered in a sheen of sweat and tears.

She gasped for breath and tried to focus her eyes but nothing came.

Panic overtaking her system, she flailed her limbs urgently trying to find something familiar and real.

But all she could seem to acquire was blistering agony.

Her heart was rupturing and her skin was fervent, everything was wrong.

But at the same time, she knew inside of herself, that it was going to be alright....that she had been forgiven.

Her body was still, finished with its irrational thrashings.

But her heart stirred, beating as if it had just been birthed and was insistent upon staying animated.

-

She knew she had suppressed the memory for far too long.

But as she sat there and made herself remember, she could remember every finer detail.

The way it felt, the reek of iron as too much blood was spilt, and the words...each and every word.

"_...th..this will n...never be your fault..."_

"It's not my fault..." Addye whispered as she sat up slowly holding her head in her hands.

Lucy adjusted, slightly murmuring in her sleep.

-

The slight patter of feet alerted her to the presence of the badger, Trufflehunter.

He seemed slightly abashed, but all the same he came towards her holding a silver tray laden with sandwiches, goblets, and a pitcher.

"It's been hours since last you ate, so I rummaged some food for you and her highness." He smiled.

"Thanks." She patted a hand gently on Lucy's leg.

"I don't wanna..." Lucy grumbled in her sleep.

"Your Highness, aren't you hungry?" Trufflehunter asked.

Lucy stretched and nodded, "Extremely."

She yawned and then sat indian style on the floor.

"Aren't you eating with us?" Lucy asked as Trufflehunter went to scurry away.

"I...only if your Highness wishes me to." He nodded politely.

Lucy grinned and patted the spot next to her, "Well I do so wish."

So he sat next to her by the Stone Table and reached for a sandwich.

Addye poured an amber liquid into three of the four goblets and passed them around.

-

"What is it?" Lucy asked lifting the goblet to her nose and taking a whiff.

"Whiskey. I'm afraid we don't have very many courtly drinks among us here."

Addye took hers and placed the goblet to her lips.

How many times had she sneaked into her father's liquor cabinet and drunk his whiskey straight, trying to drown the pain away?

She never seemed to be able to get Rayne's full memory out of her head.

Lucy smiled, "Courtly drinks weren't always the best anyways."

Addye looked around and suddenly began to laugh.

Lucy looked at her concerned, "Are you alright?"

Addye nodded and took a slow deep breath, "The atmosphere made me feel as if it were just one of Rayne's and my old tea partys before the war and turmoil."

Lucy turned and laughed also, "I do see what you mean."

-

Anything and everything could become a topic of discussion depending on the time.

But the further it went on, the quieter they became.

Ears were continually strained for the sounds of footfall.

Lucy had repositioned herself on the table, lounging and looking at the bottle of cordial attached to her belt.

"Is your sister married?" She asked curiously.

Addye shook her head, "She was to be."

"Is she traveling then?"

Again Addye shook her head, "If she is traveling, it is not in our world."

Lucy looked at her with her brow furrowed, head cocked to the side, and lips slightly parted in confusion, "Then where....?"

Addye closed her eyes, "She's gone. Never to return to the land of the living. As my father said, 'Rayne will not be home durring your stay', or mine for that matter."

Lucy gasped and parted her lips to offer her condolences, when Addye simply held up her index finger and shook her head.

-

"She wouldn't want anyone to dwell on her death, but to rejoice in the fact that she's in a better place." Ironic that she would realize this now, Addye couldn't help but think.

Lucy nodded and said not a word, her hand resting on the cordial as the sound of marching alerted them from overhead.

The vibrations from the march were too weak to be everyone.

Lucy lept from the table and ran towards the entrance of the How.

Trufflehunter looked at Addye with sad eyes, "Her heart will be broken."

She gave a brief nod, "Better broken than shattered, the pieces can still be put back together."

Then she too rushed to the mouth of the tomb.

"What happened?" Lucy whispered breathlessly looking at the loss of numbers.

"Ask him." Peter said walking away.

"Peter." Susan groaned.

Addye rushed towards Lucy, who's eyes were filling with unshed tears as she tried to register what had happened.

"Me? You could have called it off. There was still time." Caspian spat.

"No there wasn't thanks to you. If you'd kept to the plan, those soldiers might be alive right now." Peter stated angrily.

Caspian glared daggers, "And, if you'd just stayed here like I suggested, they definitely would be!"

"You called us, remember?"

"My first mistake." Caspian muttered.

Peter growled, "No. Your first mistake was thinking you could lead these people."

Caspian shouted, "Hey!! I am not the one who abandoned Narnia."

Peter began to scream at him, "You invaded Narnia. You have no more right to it than Miraz does! You, him, your father… Narnia's better off without the lot of you!"

Caspian shouts, and they both draw their swords and they meet within a few inches of each other.

"Stop it!" Edmund cried out.

-

The two glare at each other and then walk away from each other.

Glenstorm sets down an injured Trumpkin.

Lucy gasped and runs over.

She unstopped her cordial and gives him a drop.

It seemed as if everyone there held their breath.

And then he opens his eyes and glares at those around him, "What are you all standing around for? The Telmarines will be here soon enough."

Lucy smiles at Trumpkin.

Trumpkin nods to Lucy, "Thank you, my dear little friend."

Addye goes after the fuming Peter.

-

"I'll take it, things didn't go the way you wanted them to go then?" Addye said walking by him.

He glared at her, "You on his side too? Coming to gloat this fantastic victory?"

Addye tilted her head slightly, "How can there be sides...if you are both fighting the same enemy? And you already know my opinion...that there is no victory in death..."

"Would you hurry up!" Peter snapped.

"Only if you listen to a question...you don't even have to answer it." Addye whispered, slightly shrinking away from him.

"Fine. Whatever, go on with it!"

"Why is it, that every time we see each other, all you want to do is yell and prove that anything I say is wrong?" She turned and sprinted away from him.

She ran to the only place she had thought safe this whole time.

Intending to find comfort in solitude Addye ran towards the Stone Table room, only to freeze at the sound of a raspy voice, "Let the circle be drawn."

The voice begins saying strange words and Addye pushes herself against the wall, eyes wide and teeth worrying her bottom lip.

After a few moments Caspian cried out, "Wait… this isn't what I wanted"

"One drop of Adam's blood and you free me. Then I am yours, my king." A voice like that of the purest silk and yet that of frozen death emanated from the room.

"No!" Caspian shouted.

A hand covered Addye's mouth as she jumped and tried to scream.

"Hush!" Peter hissed.

Addye froze.

"What's happened?" He ordered.

Addye didn't respond her eyes staring into the room behind him.

"What's happened!" He whispered shaking her slightly.

Edmund and Trumpkin rush beside Peter and they too stare into the room behind him.

She simply points and then falls to the ground and desperately trys to move away from the room.

Peter turns and the three run into the room swords drawn.

"Stop!" Peter cried out valiantly.

-

Addye watched as a mass of brown fur crawled over the Stone Table and attacks.

And that seemed all she could do:

She watches as two dwarves, two friends fight;

She feels Lucy rush past her into the room;

She sees a hag knock Peter's sword from his hand;

She takes in Edmund as he swings at the werewolf and that same werewolf howls;

Her eyes followed Nikabrik as he stood over Trumpkin, but Lucy comes up and puts her dagger to Nikabrik's throat;

She watches as Nikabrik twists Lucy's arm around and throws her to the floor;

She viewed Peter kick the hag into a pillar and she falls a final time;

She watches as Edmund runs, turns, and hits the werewolf;

Her eyes widened in horror as Nikabrik looks at Lucy and hesitates, and then Trumpkin stabs him in the back.

She watches as the Witch keeps reaching towards Caspian.

"Come on…" She coaxed desperately.

She watches as Peter pushes Caspian away and points his sword at the Witch.

"Get away from him!" Peter cried out.

She watched Jadis fall back a little.

Jadis smiled a beautiful, cold, cruel smile, "Peter dear… I have missed you. Come, just one drop."

She watches as Jadis reach towards him, "You know you can't do this alone."

And worst of all she watched as Peter hesitates, as he lowered his sword slightly.

-

Then when she realized what was happening she stood and rushed to the door, but then...she wanted to watch.

For the Witch groaned, as a tip of a sword was forced through her stomach as the ice around her began to crack and then shatter.

And Edmund stands behind where Jadis had been, with his sword still held where he had forced it into the ice.

Edmund stared Peter straight in the eyes and frowned, "I know. You had it sorted."

Edmund walks past her.

Replacing him now is Susan, who is shaking her head glaring at both Peter and Caspian who look up to her after looking at the carving of Aslan.

And then she was gone too, and then Caspian rushed from the room also.

-

Peter sat down facing the carving of Aslan and remained silent.

Addye hung her head, ashamed that all she could do was watch.

Peter still sits in front of the cracked Stone Table and looking at the carving of Aslan.

Lucy walks up and sits beside him.

Peter didn't look at his sister, "You're lucky, you know."

Lucy looked at him puzzled, "What do you mean?"

Peter sighed shaking his head, "To have seen him. I wish he'd just give me some kind of proof."

Lucy sighed squatting, "Maybe we're the ones who need to prove ourselves to him..."

Lucy stood, patted his arm, and then walked past Addye with a tired smile.

-

Addye walked slowly towards him, standing about two feet away from his right shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She whispered her head hung slightly.

He turned to her confused, "About? I thought I was the one supposed to be apologizing."

"You wanted to know what I'd heard, but I...I just froze and...and..." She seemed to change her mind and then gestured around herself.

"All of this....it might've been over sooner if I'd' ve just spoken up."

Peter shook his head, "That's not what you were going to say."

"You could've died...and it would've been my fault...all I could bring myself to do was watch."

Peter frowned, "I don't want to argue and yell, but it seems like it's all I can do around you. I go to say one thing and something completely different comes out. You...everything about you confuses me to no end...I'll think I finally have you figured out and then you say something that completely throws me off base and all I can do is scream!"

"I'm sorry." Addye whispered.

Peter shook his head and stared back at Aslan for a moment.

-

Addye sat beside him looking at him confused.

"How do I prove myself to him?" Peter sighed.

"Like you did the first time. Trust him....love him." Addye suggested.

"You say that like those are the easiest things to do in the world." Peter laughed and shook his head.

"I had to learn...when we moved in with my Da. I thought I had to prove myself to him, but that was it. But I still had to learn how to do it." She shrugged.

"How did you learn to love someone?" He asked, his blue eyes boring into her blue-green ones.

"You...just kinda already love them...you just don't....know it...yet..." Her voice faded until you could just barely hear her last words.

And then his lips were pressed gently against hers, as if in a question.

She froze for just a fraction of a second and then gently cupped his cheek and kissed him back.

Peter pulled back and nodded, "I can do that.


	9. For Two Days There They Could Be Found

For two days they could be found there.

Peter, staring dead ahead at Aslan.

Addye, with her head rested gently against Peter's shoulder doing the same.

"What do you think will...." Addye began.

Edmund runs into the room then, "Pete, you'd better come quickly."

Peter takes Addye's hand and stands up following Edmund outside to see the Telmarine army approaching.

Miraz, in full armor, riding in the front.

"Never mind," she whispered.

In the Stone Table room, the Narnians all gather to listen and make plans.

Trumpkin shook his head in disgust as Peter finished, "Cakes and kettledrums! That's your next big plan? Sending a little girl alone into the darkest parts of the forest alone?"

Peter shook his head, "It's our only chance."

Susan said reassuringly, "And she won't be alone."

Trumpkin frowned, "Haven't enough of us died already?"

Trufflehunter nodded, "Nikabrik was my friend too, but he lost hope. Queen Lucy hasn't. And neither have I."

Reepicheep chanted, "For Aslan."

Bulgy Bear nodded, "For Aslan!"

Peter looks at the Bulgy Bear pointedly.

Trumpkin looked at Lucy, "I'm going with you."

Lucy shook her head, "No, we need you here."

Peter looked around at everyone else, "We have to hold them off until Susan and Lucy get back."

"If I may…" Caspian volunteered.

"Miraz may be a tyrant and a murderer. But as king, he is subject to the traditions and expectations of his people. There is one in particular that may buy us some time..."

"Well, what has he said?" Caspian asked as Edmund, Wimbleweather, and Glenstorm returned to the How.

Edmund looked at his brother, "Tomorrow, at noon you need to be dressed in your Sunday best for tea and crumpets."

Peter smirked and nodded, "I see he chose the dresscode then?"

Addye's grip on Peter's hand tightened upon hearing the news.

"It's settled then." Susan nodded.

-

Later that evening, Peter was seated against a wall his fingers gently running through Addye's hair.

"I know you don't like this Addye, but it's the only way. We just need more time."

A tear dripped onto the stone floor, "I know."

"Everything will be fine." he assured her.

Addye stood and nodded, "I guess you should be going to bed then, that way you won't be falling asleep during the battle."

Peter pulled her back down, "Stay, I do not wish to be alone tonight."

Peter placed his head onto the feather pillow that had been given to him and pulled Addye against his chest.

Gently she rubbed her nose against his leather jerkin, she listened to Peter's quiet guffaws of laughter.

Peter rolled onto his back and then let Addye rest her head on his chest.

"You know, you're Da would probably consider this inappropriate behavior..."

"Probably..." Addye murmured as she yawned tiredly.

Early morning the next day found Susan and Lucy climbing onto Caspian's horse.

Caspian stroked the side of a deep brown mare, "Destier has always served me well. You are in good hands."

Lucy laughed, "Or hooves."

Caspian smiles and looks up at Susan.

Caspian: Good luck." He said seriously

"Thanks." Susan muttered as she looked away from him.

Caspian pulls out her horn, "Maybe it is time you had this back."

"Why don't you hold onto it? You might need to call me again." Susan kicked the haunches of Destier and settled into a gallop.

"You might need to call me again"? Lucy repeated critically.

Susan rolls her eyes, "Oh, shut up."

Addye stared at the floor as she fought tears.

She pressed a hand against Peter's breast plate and took a deep breath.

Peter lifted her chin with a gloved hand, "Look at me."

Addye looked into his eyes and desperately tried to stop the tears.

"When the fighting starts, because no matter who wins it will, you are to be in the Stone Table room. Don't you dare leave that room, I don't care if the roof is raining down on you, don't leave!"

He pulled her close to him as she whimpered in tears, "If you die Peter Pevensie...I...I'll...."

Peter hushed her gently rocking her in his arms, "I won't."

Addye shook her head and looked up at him through puffy eyes, "Don't go making promises you can't keep."

Peter smiled and kissed her on the top of her head, "I think I can keep that promise."

Addye wrapped her arms around Peter's waist, and she listened as Lucy and Susan rode away.

"I'll see you out there." Peter whispered.

"Where?" She whispered back, "Where do you want me to stand? By the mouth of the cave, with the crowd, by Ed?"

"You choose." He smiled.

"By Ed then, close enough to see every little detail. But not close enough to stop them from landing."

"Alright, since I can't stop you." Peter nodded releasing her from his arms and watched her walk out to the fighting rink.

Peter and Edmund walk out of Aslan's How as the Narnians cheer them on.

They came to the rink and Peter stood with his shoulder pressed against Addye's.

"Good luck..." she whispered.

His face was stoic but he nodded just slightly.

He drew his sword and stepped forward.

Miraz too steps forward and they begin circling.

"There is still time to surrender." Miraz hissed.

"Well," Peter shrugged, "feel free."

Miraz shook his head, "How many more must die for the throne?

"Just one." Peter retorted.

Peter pulled down his helmet and jumps at Miraz, the armies cheer.

-

Peter's sword swings against Miraz's back.

With one swing Peter had lost his helmet, with the next his coif.

Peter swings his sword low and cuts Miraz's knee.

Addye watched as the Telmarine king looked to his second.

Miraz swings, and Peter falls to the ground, but manages to recover.

Miraz then trips Peter, and then steps on his shield.

Peter moaned in pain.

Addye cried out as if the pain Peter felt, so she did too.

Miraz swings his sword down to the ground, but Peter rolls out of the way.

As Peter rolls away he blocks the blows thrown at him.

Then he stops and Miraz trips over him.

Both swiftly stand up, breathing laboriously.

Peter looks over Miraz's shoulder and sees Caspian and Susan riding up.

-

"Does his highness need a respite?" Miraz mocked.

"Five minutes?" Peter gasped.

Miraz looked around, "Three." He hissed.

Peter and Miraz limp back to their sides.

Peter's eyes wide he looks to his sister, "Lucy…"

Susan nods, "She got through… with a little help."

Peter nods to Caspian, "Thanks."

Caspian gestures to the rink, "Well, you are busy."

-

Peter looks at the How.

Peter looked at his sister seriously, "Better get up there, just in case. I don't expect the Telmarines will keep their word."

Addye watched as Susan hugged Peter and how he winced.

Susan looked at him apologetically, "Sorry."

Peter smiled gently, "It's alright."

Susan nodded, "Take care."

Edmund, looking out at the Narnians, warns Peter, "Keep smiling."

Peter raises his sword and forces a smile and the Narnians cheer.

Peter sat down, holds his arm and groans, "I think it's dislocated. … What do you think happens back home if you die here? … You know, you've always been there. I never really—AWW!"

"Save it for later." Edmund said as he moved away.

-

Peter finally looks over to Addye who has tears brimming her eyes and all he can do is wrap his arms around her.

A muffled sob escapes her lips as she wraps her arms around him.

"It's alright Addye." he murmured.

"No it isn't! Everything is wrong."

"I might not make it Addye, I realize that now. If I don't...If I don't, I need you to be strong and remember what I told you."

He pulled away from Addye and watched her nod through tears.

Peter gently pressed his lips to hers and then turned towards the ring.

-

Ed offers the helmet to him, which Peter refuses.

Miraz also pushes away his helmet.

They walk out to the fighting area again.

Peter attacks quickly, but Miraz parries.

Miraz starts hitting Peter with his shield.

Peter falls, and Miraz runs towards him.

Peter blocks and then trips Miraz.

They both recover.

-

Peter knocks Miraz' sword out of his hand.

They continue fighting, Miraz using his shield.

Peter tries to stab Miraz but fails.

Miraz knocks Peter's sword out of his hand.

Miraz tries to slam his shield into Peter, but Peter catches it.

-

Peter twists Miraz' shield behind him.

Miraz elbows Peter in the face and then pushes him into a pillar.

Miraz picks up his sword and swings, but Peter blocks it with his vambraces.

Peter stands up and punches Miraz' wounded leg.

Miraz yells and falls down, dropping his sword.

Miraz: Respite! Respite!

"Now's not the time for chivalry, Pete!" Edmund warned.

Peter hesitates and Miraz holds up his hand preparing for the blow.

Peter lowers his arm and starts walking back to his side.

When Peter's back is turned, Miraz grabs his sword and runs towards Peter.

"PETER!!" Addye screamed, eyes wide in terror.

"Look out!" Edmund called out.

-

Peter dodges just and time, grabs the sword, twists it around, and stabs Miraz beneath the arm. Miraz gasps and falls to his knees. Peter, holding Miraz' sword, hesitates again.

Miraz knelt on the floor before him, "What's the matter, boy? Too cowardly to take a life?"

Peter simply shook his hed, "It's not mine to take."

Peter looks at Caspian. Caspian steps forward, and Peter hands Miraz' sword to him.

Caspian slowly raises the sword.

Peter walked back to Addye, and allowed her to cling to him when he came.

Miraz frowned, "Perhaps I was wrong. It seems you have the makings of a good Telmarine king after all."

Miraz bows his head. Caspian raises the sword, screams, and stabs… the ground.

Caspian looked at his uncle in disgust, "Not one like you. Keep your life, but I am giving the Narnians back their kingdom."

Caspian walks away and the Narnians cheer.

Miraz gasps and falls over, the arrow sticking into his back.

Sopespian runs up and takes Miraz' sword.

"Treachery!" the traitor shouted, "They shot him! They murdered our king! To arms!"

Peter looked at Addye, "Go! Go where I told you!"

Addye nodded and kissed his cheek gently, "Be careful."

She gathered the bottom of her dress and hurried to the How.

She turned upon reaching the entrance of the cavern and looked towards Peter.

"Be careful," she murmured again.

She ran through the tunnels to the safe room, she climbed atop the stone table and held her knees to her chest.

The silence was deafening, then all at once Addye could hear and feel everything as if she had been standing right there herself.

She heard the screams of pain, the grunts of effort, the snarls of lawlessness.

She listened to the sounds without being a part of them, the sounds of war.

Addye's eyes were closed as she listened.

She heard more then felt as the rock hit the How and shook its very core.

Addye's eyes snapped open as she watched chunks of the ceiling crash to the ground about her.

Terrified she stood and tried to run from the room, as she dodged around a piece of rubble another hunk of ceiling began to fall.

Her foot was caught and as she pushed her right arm against the ground to pull herself up from the ground, the ceiling dislodged itself and crushed her arm.

Addye screamed and moaned in agony, pain blinding her.

She pushed with her other hand against the mass to no avail.

As she lost more and more blood her dim eyesight became more blurred and then everything just went black.


	10. Reflections

Addye sat alone in the stone courtyard of the castle as a honorary ball was being held right inside. Clothed in a mint green dress with no sleeves and a sheer wrap she felt refreshed and free. Her hair was rolled and pulled back into a braided bun with tendrils of hair framing her face, the bun of course was filled with wild flowers and pins a plenty. She held her sketch pad in her hands and carefully she drew the people as they passed by the doors dancing to eccentric songs. And when she paused, she looked around and slowly thought of the past few days.

She woke alone, frozen in the dark.

She felt the blood oozing from the arm that was secured beneath a hunk of the sanctuary.

Addye cried out in pain as she moved just a fraction of an inch.

Her whole body trembled as she managed to fall in and out of conciousness.

"Addye? Addye, where are you? Addye. Addye, where are you?" A pure voice rang through the tunnels.

"Hello? I'm here. Hello!" She called.

"Addye, where are you?" The voice called again.

"Hello!! Please, I'm here!" Addye begged, "Why don't you hear me?"

"Addye, where are you." The voice called a final time.

"Please don't ignore me." Addye whispered her voice breaking.

"Son of Adam, you look to be impatient to get somewhere." Aslan said looking up to him.

"It's our friend, Addye. She's trapped in the How. I have to get her sir."

"Go then, Peter."

Peter nodded and then ran back to the How.

He ran down the sloping path that the Narnians had run through only minutes before, most of the path was now crumbled and falling inward..

Peter dodged rubble, "What've I done?"

"Addye?" He called desperately, "Addye, where are you Addye?"

He listened until finally he heard a muffled sob.

He sprinted towards the sound.

Addye?" Peter's voice reverberated from the crumbled walls.

"Are you still here?" His voice sounded desperate.

"Pe..Peter..." It was barely even a whisper but she began to cough and felt some specks of blood fall back upon her face.

"Addye?" The footsteps became louder as they stepped over shattered boulders.

"Please..." She gasped in pain.

She listened as the footfall hurried.

'I'm here." He whispered as he touched her face gently.

"Your hurt." she gasped trailing a finger against his cheekbone.

He just smiled and pressed his lips to her forehead.

He held a torch in his right hand and was inspecting the boulder on her arm.

"This is going to hurt Addye." He found a place where he could place the torch without the fire dying.

-

He placed his shoulder against the boulder and pushed.

As Addye cried out in pain, Peter had to force himself to keep pushing against the rock.

"I'm almost finished." Peter said as she gasped and whimpered.

Addye's eyes were closed tightly as she nodded.

Peter grunted and pushed the rock off her arm.

He knelt beside her quickly, pulling her against him.

His armor was cold, but Addye found herself trying to get as close to him as she could.

Peter pressed his hands against the blood that was oozing from her arm.

Addye's eyes fluttered open and closed slowly.

"Don't go to sleep Addye, just stay awake for me." Peter said gently.

"What happens if I die here Peter?" Her voice was scared, trembling slightly.

He closed his eyes remembering how he had repeated the same lines not two hours ago.

"I'm not going to let that happen." He whispered, "I'm going to get you out of here."

-

"If I do..." Addye began.

"You're not." Peter interjected.

"If I do Peter, I want you to tell my Da, that I'm with Rayne in the wood beside the Narnia pool."

Peter smiled, "I'm not going to have to tell him."

Addye shrugged, "Just thought you'd want to know what to tell him...just in case."

She felt the blood just dribbling from her arm.

"I need to wrap your arm Addye." He whispered.

"My uniform...it's in my.." she gasped for a few moments, "My bag."

Peter secured Addye into one of his arms and reached for the bag that was right next to her.

As he opened it he dug around in t for a few moments and as he pulled out her white shirt, a glass needle and syringe fell to the ground.

He reached for it and as he examined it under closer scrutiny noted the faint lines drawn onto it.

"Peter..." She whispered.

-

"What is it Addye?" He asked quietly.

"Insulin." she breathed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He tried to keep his voice under control as it began to waver.

"Wasn't...relevant."She was gasping now.

"We will talk about this later." He said.

Peter ripped the white shirt and wrapped around her arm securely.

Then gingerly he folded her arm across her chest, took her maroon sweater and created a make shift sling.

"Come on, lets get out of here." He stood gently helping her up.

Her knees almost collapsed from underneath her, so Peter wrapped his arm around her waste and pulled her up into his arms.

He held her against him and she rested her head against his shoulder and wrapped her good arm around his neck.

"How did we win?" her voice was faint, just barely there.

-

He spoke clearly and low, taking careful steps here and there along paths he had already taken.

She noticed how he seemed to slow down after a while continually doing so.

"I can walk if you'd like." She whispered.

"You're not heavy, it's my arm."

Addye nodded, "You scared me Peter. When you were out there fighting Miraz, I thought I was going die when he stepped on your shield and you cried out in pain."

"I know, I tried to do everything to make you come back in here. And now I wish I never had." Peter shuddered.

"Can you put me down?" Peter nodded.

He placed her on the floor and she closed her eyes, "I don't...My head...I think, I'm going to be sick..."

And when she leaned over, she expelled blood from her mouth again and again.

He knelt beside her and took her hand, "Come on Addye, you can do this."

Addye nodded and her body shook violently, "I can't...I can't..."

Peter helped her to her feet, "We're almost there. Just keep breathing."

-

Each step brought them a little closer until they were at the ramp.

"Ed, you up there?" Peter called up.

"I'm here." Edmund said looking into the pit.

"I'm going to hand her up, watch out for her arm, it's completely shattered.." Peter warned.

Peter walked half way up the ramp and then picked her up and handed her up to Edmund.

Addye reached out to Edmund as her shoulders became level with the ground.

"You look like someone dropped a bomb on you." Edmund said surprised.

Addye gasped in pain as she laid out in the sun.

Peter was hawled up on to the grass and then crawled next to her on the grass.

"Come on Addye, we're almost there. You've just got to go a little further. We've got to get to Lucy and Aslan." He gently traced his thumb over her arm.

-

"I...I can't." She shook her head and closed her eyes, "I'm so tired Peter...hurts so...bad."

"She can't walk any further." Peter said looking up to Edmund.

"She doesn't need to." Ed said kneeling to the ground as Aslan approached.

"My child." His voice was strong and majestic as he looked lovingly upon Addye.

"I do not....deserve to be called...yours."She breathed in pain.

"You have been sick and weak since the moment you were born." He breathed gently against her face.

Addye felt as if she were out on the beach in the middle of the summer.

Feeling came back to her arm again all at once, and the weakness she'd felt in her body over the past week seemed to leave her.

She breathed deeply, with a sigh of relief.

-

She turned from her back and onto her stomach, pulling her knees to her chest and pressing her lips to the lions massive paws.

"You are healed. Stand." Addye stood from the ground with her head bowed slightly.

"Thank you sir." She whispered.

"You believed with blind faith. When the others did not see, they did not believe. But when you did not see you still believed. You have hurt but try to be healed. You have been attacked with illnesses and lost so many, and still you do not give up." Aslan smiled.

"You are my child."

-

Addye flushed and Peter wrapped his fingers into hers.

"You're alright!" Susan cried out running towards her.

She threw her arms around Addye's shoulders and hugged her.

"When the How went down, and I heard you were still in it...I almost died."

Addye just smiled at her, "I'm fine, thanks to Aslan...and Peter."

Addye looked at each one of them and smiled.

Lucy, her hand resting on Aslan's mane; Susan, her arm linked through Caspian's; Edmund, a smug grin on his face; and Peter, fingers linked through hers: this is home.

She felt a hand rest on her shoulder and looked up, "Peter."

Dressed in a white tunic and brown breeches he bowed low, "May I ask for this dance?"

Addye shook her head as she took his hand, "Has thou always been so shameless, sir?"

"Always ma'lady." He said as he escorted her to the center of the yard.

"Honesty, is a very admirable trait." She nodded.

And so they danced.

She placed her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.

And he in turn wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his lips to her temple.

-

"The diabetes?" Peter asked almost silently.

"Aslan says, it will never come back or affect me again. He also says I should have told you...and I agree. It was very selfish of me not to tell you."

Peter just shook his head and held her a bit closer to himself, "I don't know what I would've done if you had died. I promised your Da I'd take care of you while we were gone. It doesn't look like I've done a very good job so far does it?" He murmured.

Addye looked up at him, "I'm still standing aren't I? Am I not still alive? Am I not happier than when I was when we left? You have taken better care of me, than I have myself for the past year."

His smile didn't quite meet his eyes as he looked at the stars above them.

"What's wrong? What have I done?" She asked taking a single step back.

"It's not what you've done. It's just...I finally come back and I find out that when I leave I won't ever come back. And I finally feel like I'm back where I belong..."

-

Addye pressed her lips to his and wrapped her arms tightly around him and after a moment or two he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back.

When they stopped she just rested her head on his chest and they gently rocked to the ballad in the background.

"Worry about tomorrow when it comes, hold onto today while it lasts." Addye whispered.

Peter smiled and pressed a thumb to her lips, "When did you become so smart?"

"When I thought I was going to die when I was stuck beneath a rock." She murmured.

Peter closed his eyes and sighed, "I can't believe I..._even if the roof is raining down on you, don't leave!_ You could've been killed and it would've been all my fault."

"I'm still here, I'm still breathing." She murmured as snuggled her face into the crook of his neck.

"Barely." Peter muttred.

-

"I wish I could've seen all the things you all told me about..." Addye sighed dreamily.

"Like?" Peter inquired.

"The mermaids, the white stags, the travel by boat, a royal hunt, the lamp post, ..." Addye listed.

"Okay I get it." Peter laughed as she took another breath to continue, "You wish you could see all Narnia had to offer."

"Mmhmm."

"Aslan never said when we had to leave, perhaps he might let us stay a bit longer."

"Would he?" Addye asked in surprise.

"It is truly all according to his plan, I don't know if he would or wouldn't."


	11. The Voice

Sorry for the delay, here is my newest chapter in months. I'm going to try and have the next chapter out by or a little later than Christmas. For those of you who are still reading this thanks for sticking in there with me. Please send me any corrections that are needed and I will adjust, thanks. ~Liv

* * *

Addye's fingers trembled as she applied pressure to her bleeding hand.

Her face was flushed red of course and she continued to murmur apologies for the blood she was spilling. She had to be the only person capable of cutting herself at the dinner table.

Peter smiled at her and took her bleeding appendage in his hand and wound his napkin around it.

Susan and Lucy were trying to hide their laughter in their goblets but were failing miserably.

-

The music was still playing but now the dance floor was deserted as the congregation feasted.

The mood was light and cheerful; everyone was happy, the war was over.

Addye carefully lifted the potato she had been cutting to her mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

She looked at each of the Pevensies and thought of how much they had changed.

Peter was gently rubbing circles on the back of her hand, so she looked up and smiled at him.

He glanced around, and when he thought no one was looking Peter lifted Addye's hand and pressed his lips to it.

She laughed and squeezed his hand gently.

-

Caspian stood, and the room silenced as they looked to their new king.

"Welcome friends. For that is what we are. We are all friends. I want everyone to look about this room, and I want them to notice who is in it. You now not only just see Telmarines, but you see Narnians as well. You do not see enemies but companions. But we are still separated. We shall not be separated by a name any longer. We shall be as one people, by one name. We are all Narnians, and you should be proud to be called such. If you do not wish for this, Aslan has something else planned for all of you. You will be located to a new place. But for now, for tonight, let us rejoice and be merry." Caspian smiled and held up his goblet, "To Aslan."

Everyone lifted their goblets as well, "To Aslan."

They drank and then Peter stood and lifted his glass once more, "Long live the King. Long live King Caspian."

The room chanted the phrase back with goblets raised high.

Caspian looked to Peter and held his forearm in appreciation, "Thank you my friend."

Peter nodded, "Anytime."

-

The men sat back down and Addye took Peter's hand back into hers, "That was very kind of you, very kind and very brave."

He smiled at her, "I meant it. He shall be a good king, he deserves a long rule."

Peter looked up to see the Great Lion looking at him; he raised his cup to him and drank.

Aslan walked to the table of honor and bowed His head to the Kings and Queens who repeated the motion to Him.

"I grant to you, Caspian, wisdom, that you might use it to help you rule this country better than your forefathers."

Caspian bowed his head, "Thank you my liege."

"And to you…To you Peter; to you Susan; to you Edmund and Lucy; to you Adelynn, I know what it is that your hearts desire. And I shall grant it to you for a short while. You shall remain in Narnia for four years, and then you will go back to your home."

They gasped in unison, a smile spreading across their faces.

"Thank you Aslan," they murmured.

The Great Cat, looked each of them in the eye as he began to speak of how they had each learned what they were intended to on this journey and then he added that they had a little more to learn.

"Tonight I will speak to each of you individually. Adelynn, will you walk with me?" The Lion looked directly into her eyes as he asked.

Addye looked up surprised. She placed her napkin down beside her plate and stood up, "Yes, my Lord."

She went by His side, glanced at Peter, and then followed him as he walked from the grand hall that they were in.

-

"Your situation was never easy," He began to talk as they came out to the courtyard she'd been drawing in earlier.

"Everyone you found yourself letting in, you found would die. You stopped letting people in, and you found yourself growing weaker."

Addye nodded unable to speak a word.

"Do you know the last words that your sister spoke to you?" Aslan looked at her expectantly.

"That she'd meet me in the wood?" Addye murmured uncertainly as she pulled on her temporary bandage.

"No, those were the last words she spoke to you then, but she has spoken to you since she was in her earthly body. Do you not remember?"

She closed her eyes and tried to think and then she remembered when she was in the How.

"The voice," Addye sighed, "The voice that was calling out to me when I was jammed hurt. Was that her?"

He nodded, "Do you remember when your sister's friend Genevieve was there to talk to your father and you listened in?"

Addye flushed but nodded.

"She had traveled to Narnia for a short time, and she had seen your sister here."

Her eyes widened at the news, "Rayne? Here! Where is she, can I see her?"

Aslan looked into her eyes, "Your sister was never from your planet. She did that which was the opposite of your friends, she wandered from Narnia but she could not find her way back in. Your mother and father adopted her as their own and you always assumed she was your sister."

-

Addye was shaking her head in disbelief, "No."

"As Rayne aged she was feeling stretched, she had been too far away from Narnia for too long. The night when she saved you, she was already dying. Someone was chopping down her tree. Addye, Rayne's true form is that of a tree nymph. Digory Kirke knew this, but he didn't have the heart to tell you. With one of the rings his Uncle Andrew had made, he sent your sister back to Narnia so that she would be able to live."

"She's not…dead?" She was so confused.

"No, she is within the forest. She is very much alive, but even though she is here, she has thought of you often. She does love you Adelynn that was never fake."

"Do I…do I get to see her?"

The Lion shook His head, "It is up to her whether or not she will show herself to you."

"Okay, thank you." Addye whispered.

"There is more," Aslan sighed and looked towards the setting sun, "The path that your life is set on is full of pain and suffering. In the end though it will lead to happiness."

-

"What?" She asked confused.

He looked at her with sad eyes, "You shall know more pain in the many years to come, but always know that I am here when you need Me. Again it will seem as if everyone you have ever held dear will be ripped away from you. You will know when the time has come, for you will feel my presence with you."

"You mean they're going to die? My father, Polly, the Pevensies…Peter, I'm going to lose them?" Tears were coming to her eyes as Aslan nodded.

"Do not weep child, you shall be with them again. But you will remain behind until you have completed the task that I need for you to do. The task is of the utmost utter importance."

Addye looked into His eyes and nodded, "Okay…alright."

"You shall be strong." Aslan walked her back into the castle and called for Susan next and then left the room with her.

-

Addye went back to her spot by Peter, and took his hand.

Peter looked at her concerned, but she smiled at him all the same.

"I can't believe we get to stay." She whispered.

Peter nodded, "I know; now you can see everything you long to see."

Addye turned to him, "But you'll be there right? To show me…to show me all that I _long_ to see?"

He smiled, "Of course, you did not think that I would leave you to the mercy of my sisters' rule?"

"Oh, I have my suspicions that I still will find myself with them, all the same." She laughed but the joy didn't quite meet her eyes.

Peter's smile fell from his lips as he asked, "What is wrong? I was sure that you would be happy, we get to stay."

"It's something that Aslan told me. It saddens me, but it is not mine to share." Addye sighed, "It's something that I know I have to go through with, but I will not like the results of it. Does that make sense?"

He nodded, "As much as it can without me knowing what you're talking about."

-

"Peter," Aslan called to him.

Peter smiled, "I'll be back."

And then he left to go talk with Aslan.

Addye looked to Susan to see that she also had a deep sadness in her eyes.

But as she already knew, what Aslan had told her was her burden to bear.

She closed her eyes. How would they die; would it be painful and slow, quick and easy, or maybe even natural?

No matter which way she thought of it she came to the same conclusion, it would not be easy for her when they passed.

'He didn't tell me when or where they would die,' she thought in horror. 'They could die in Narnia, or they could die on the train on our way to school…"

The more she thought about it the more it worried her, "Stop it Addye. The time will come when it comes, for now let it rest."

-

Peter stood beside her after a few more minutes had passed by.

His face was full of confusion, but happiness was hiding beneath it.

"I believe the dining experience is over, if you'd like to go for a walk." Peter suggested his hands placed on the top of her seat.

"That'd be…nice." Addye nodded.

He pulled the seat back, helped her up, and pushed it back in.

Addye took his hand, and followed him as he exited the room.

He didn't say a word as he navigated his way through the halls; he didn't say a thing until they were outside the front of the castle.

-

"Your sister," Peter murmured.

"What about her?" Addye asked.

"The night we raided this castle I told you to go crying back to her like you always did. You didn't tell me she was dead." His eyes looked slightly tortured.

"She's not," Addye smiled, "Aslan told me that she's not dead."

"How's that possible? He just told me she is."

She took a breath, "Aslan told me that, Rayne is a nymph, she's out there somewhere." Addye gestured to the expanse of trees, "She was never really my sister; at least, not my biological sister."

"I hurt you. I hurt you by accusing you of being a burden to your father, and being weak. I _am_ sorry Addye."

"I know," Addye nodded, "and I forgave you that same night."

-

"I need to ask, no beg of you to do something for me Addye." He whispered.

"What? What is it? I'll promise after I know." She was concerned; his hand was slightly shaking in hers.

Peter looked into her eyes as he said, "Don't go looking for her. Please don't go looking for her."

Addye wanted to tell him that she could do what she wanted whenever she wanted to, thank you very much.

But the look of desperation in his eyes, the look that told her that he didn't care if she ignored everything else he said, caused her to say otherwise, "I promise."

A wave of relief crashed over him, and he wrapped his arms around her, "Thank you."

"Whatever was attached to me looking for Rayne was bad wasn't it?" Addye murmured into his shoulder.

Peter nodded and placed his hand on her head, "Extremely."

-

Cautiously Addye said, "Aslan told me, that I might see her again if she comes looking for me…does that mean that attachment will still be there, even though I'm not looking for her?"

"I don't know," Peter sighed, "I honestly do not know."

Peter let her go and took her hand back in his, "Come, I believe you have a list of things that need to be done."

Addye grinned, "We're starting now, in the middle of the night?"

He shrugged, "What's a better time to start than the present?"

He started at a slow run towards the stables, and Addye laughed as he dragged her along.


	12. Dangerous Attachments

Yay, two updates in less than 24 hours! That's pretty much a record for me, I'll try to have another chapter out sometime after Christmas. Hey maybe I'll feel nice and try and post another one tomorrow!

There is some new stuff, but this is basically the last chapter from Peter's point of view. Please don't skip this, it is important.

Again, I wrote this rather quickly, if you see any spots that don't make sense send me a message and I'll fix it.

* * *

Peter finished saddling a chestnut mare and reached for Addye's hand.

"What first?" He smiled, "The mermaids, the stags, what? It's up to you."

Addye grinned and squeezed his hand, "I would love to see the lamp post…but shouldn't we tell someone where we're going? Or maybe you know, at least bring some food?"

Peter pulled Addye forward and then helped her onto the back of the horse, "Maybe, but you know sometimes it's a bit more fun to just go and do."

"Pete," Addye said seriously from her perch on the back of the horse.

He smiled as he pulled himself in front of her and gripped the reins in his hands, "Don't worry, I told Caspian, and if you open the saddle bags you'll see some food."

-

She sighed and Peter laughed, "Don't tell me you were looking forward to sleeping in a real bed?"

Addye shook her head, "No, I was just wondering if this is going to be how all four years are going to go."

"If you want, tch tch." The horse began to trot forward, and Addye wrapped her arms around Peter's waist.

"By the way, Addye meet Nanaea, she will be our ride for the next few months." Peter led the horse across the drawbridge and nodded to the guards on duty.

"Nanaea, what a royal name; purebred from a line of kings, a female born to a war horse no doubt," Addye placed her face against Peter's back.

"Very good, I didn't know that until Dr. Cornelius told me. Are you comfortable?" Peter asked glancing back at her.

"As comfortable as I can be while wearing a ball gown on the back of a horse." She teased.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think about that. I was just trying to decide how to surprise you." Peter had coaxed Nanaea into a comfortable lope and directed her North-West.

"Oh, you definitely surprised me and I don't really mind, it is kind of fun." She smiled.

-

"Really? So you don't mind the spontaneousness of it all?" He asked surprised.

"Not at all, I'm glad we got to leave. It was nice when it was just the five of us traveling together."

"Yeah, well how about just the two of us?" Pete teased.

"I think that it'll be a…great experience. If not we'll realize it sometime within the next couple of months and possibly come back a few months early." She sighed.

"Are you expecting not to have a good time?" He teased gently.

"Not at all, I hope…nix that I know we'll have a good time." Addye rubbed her nose against his back gently.

-

Addye yawned tiredly, "You can go to sleep Addye, you want fall off."

"Thanks Pete, for everything." Her arms slipped down lower around his waist and closed her eyes.

"You're welcome," he whispered.

Peter looked back at her and his brow furrowed.

What Aslan had told him perturbed him.

* * *

"_Come Son of Adam, let us walk for awhile." The Mighty Cat walked out the same door he had walked with the two women._

"_You have found what you were intended to find, you have learned to humble yourself and to let other people take control when it is theirs to take."_

_Peter smiled, "I couldn't have done it without you Sir."_

_Aslan laughed, "You have learned much, but you have more to learn, much more."_

_-_

_Aslan's tone became somber, "Did you know that Adelynn Glynne-Digory's sister has died in your world?"_

"_What?! But that's not possible…" Peter cried out in disbelief._

"_She died trying to save Adelynn. You see Addye was attacked when they were out shopping just a little over a year ago, and her sister came to find her bleeding out on the sidewalk. Raina was already sick, she was dying, so she died to save her sister." Aslan looked into the High King's eyes, "It has tortured Addye every day since then. Peter, I believe that you were planning on showing Addye around Narnia?"_

_Peter nodded numbly, "Yes sir."_

"_While you are traveling, Addye might assume that she has seen her sister. If she should try to find her, you will find that the pain she feels will be worse than when Rayne died. The pain she felt when she was being beaten into the ground shall be nothing to what she will feel." The Lion said seriously._

_-_

_He looked upon the face of the one he trusted the most, "What are you saying? What will happen to her?"_

_Aslan closed his eyes as He began, "She will be bound, she will be beaten until she wishes for death, she shall be cut with knives and nails, she will be burned with fire and ash, they will not let her alone until her will is flattened, she will be weak but she will not die until her soul is shattered, and you will be the one who does it."_

"…_ME? But I…I would never!" Peter cried out in horror._

"_No, you wouldn't do it to hurt her. You would do it to save her, because you will have had to watch her be tormented for too many years. Remember this and you both will be alright." He sighed and smiled, "But if she does not go looking for her, you will find that you will have many happy years together."_

"_Do you mean to say, that we'll be together-together. As in _married_ together?" He asked in surprise._

_Aslan smiled and nodded, "Yes, you will be married."_

_-_

_Peter closed his eyes as he imagined it. _

_Addye curled up warm-and soft in his arms, her breath deep and even while she slept, with her hair splayed out around her._

_She murmured incoherently in her sleep and turned so that her face was pressed against his chest._

_Then a more tempting thought; his hand rubbing lazy circles over her round-taught belly_

_The thought of Addye being pregnant with his child appealed to him more than he could've ever realized._

_And the more he contemplated it, the more he thought of being with Addye, the more it attracted him._

_Peter opened his eyes and smiled, he knew that wasn't a thought he had formed, but a vision from Aslan._

"_That is a glimpse of what may come. But if she goes searching for her sister, this will not be yours or her future." He smiled, "Go, leave tonight on your journey, I will tell your family where you have gone. You will find Dr. Cornelius outside of the dining hall, he will instruct you upon which horse to take and he will have food for you and Addye." _

_Peter nodded, "Thank you."_

_-_

_He took the stairs two at a time, and just as Aslan had said the doctor was there waiting for him with a bag of food._

"_Here you are, listen well because I only have enough time to tell you once if you want to get on your way. In the stables, there is a chestnut mare. Her name is Nanaea, she is of noble birth and you can expect her to travel with such dignity. Her saddle is located next to her stall, and I will have this," he lifted the bag of food, "as well as blankets and a change of clothes in her saddle bags."_

"_Thank you, you have been so reliable in these past few weeks." Peter shook his hand._

"_Go, go get the Lady. By the time you get to the stable the saddlebags will be full and ready for a long journey." Dr. Cornelius shooed him away with a flick of his wrist._

_Peter smiled gratefully at him and walked through the doors to the dining doors just a moment after Aslan had entered._

_-_

_He looked at Addye's face from across the room; she was still distressed from what Aslan had told her._

_He walked back to the table that he'd been sitting at earlier, stopped quickly beside Caspian and told him that he and Addye were going and that Aslan would explain._

_Then he went and stood behind Addye's chair._

_The thought of his hands killing her disturbed him, the thought of not being with him worried him even more, but what bothered him the most was who could possibly torture her in such a way._

_Addye turned to look at him, her eyes were analyzing the emotions he was displaying on his face._

"_I believe the dining experience is over if you'd like to go for a walk," he improvised._

_He placed his hands on the top of her seat and waited for her answer._

"_That'd be…nice." She smiled at him._

_-_

_He pulled her chair back to let her out, gave her his hand to help her up, and then pushed it back in when she was standing next to him._

_Peter offered her his hand and when she took it in her own, he led her throughout the castle._

_Neither said a word until they had entered the courtyard in front of the castle._

_He was afraid to speak but he knew he needed to say something, "Your sister?"_

_Addye shrugged indifferently, "What about her?"_

"_The night we raided this castle I told you to go crying back to her like you always did. You didn't tell me she was dead." It was probably the wrong thing to say, but it was the first thing that came to his mind._

_Addye was smiling, "She's not, Aslan told me she's not dead."_

_-_

'_What?' Peter shook his head in confusion, "How's that possible, she just told me she is…"_

_She took a deep breath, "Aslan told me that Rayne is a nymph, and that she's out there somewhere." She gestured towards the wood, "She was never really my sister; at least, not my biological sister."_

_Peter's mouth was dry, 'Great she is alive, now what happens if she goes looking for her?'_

_And then he remembered something else he had said, "I hurt you. I hurt you by accusing you of being a burden to your father, and being weak. I am sorry Addye."_

_She nodded and smiled at him, "I know and I forgave you the same night."_

_He had to ask her, maybe she would if he asked her, "I need to ask, no beg of you to do something for me Addye."_

"_What? What is it? I'll promise you after I know." She was concerned._

_He was desperate, he stared directly into her eyes as he annunciated each word, "Don't go looking for her, please don't go looking for her." _

_She looked like she was going to argue, and then her eyes softened, "I promise."_

_He sighed and wound his arms around her, "Thank you."_

_-_

_She nuzzled her face into his shoulder and said, "Whatever was attached to me looking for Rayne was bad wasn't it?"_

_He gently placed his hand on the back of her head and nodded, "Extremely."_

_She was silent for a moment; he knew that she was choosing her words with caution,_ _"Aslan told me, that I might see her again if she comes looking for me…does that mean that _attachment_ will still be there, even though I'm not looking for her?" _

_Peter tried to remember to keep breathing, to not let it get to him, "I don't know. I honestly do not know."_

_He let her go and took her hand back in his, "Come, I believe you have a list of things that needs to be done."_

_She was looking at him in disbelief and then a smile broke out across her face, "We're starting now, in the middle of the night?"_

_He smiled and shrugged, "What's a better time to start than the present?"_

_He dragged her towards the stables and she burst into laughter._

* * *

They had been riding for many hours now and Addye was slumped against his back her arms had loosened until they were just barely sitting on either of his legs.

Peter adjusted her arms around his waist, and steered Nanaea towards the woods.

He rode on until he found an unmarked river that cut across their path.

Carefully, he turned himself in the saddle and held Addye up as he lowered himself from the back of the horse.

When his feet hit the forest floor, he lifted Addye, and then held her bridle style.

-

In fascination he gazed at her.

A thought strayed across his mind as he looked at her, 'when did her hair fall out of a bun?'

And then he was noticing that from the way her hair framed her face to the way her whole body moved when she stretched, she captivated him.

He blinked his eyes repetitively and then laid her down on to the grass.

She cried out at the loss of his heat and then turned on her side.

Peter smiled at her and then went and unsaddled Nanaea.

He reached and took some oats from one of the saddle bag and held it to the regal horse's mouth.

As she ate, Peter gently brushed his fingers through Nanaea's mane, "You did a good job today sweetheart. You get some rest tonight."

-

Peter went around their camp and found some dry wood.

He collected some stones and made a circle with them, then he set a few smaller pieces of wood down and some kindling.

He rubbed two rocks together until he got a spark that lit the kindling a flame.

He fed the fire until it came to a steady blaze.

He stood and went to the saddlebags and unpacked two of the blankets.

Peter spread one out on the ground and lifted Addye onto it, and then covered her with the other one.

As he went to put some more wood on the fire, Addye grabbed his wrist and started murmuring.

"Shh, I'll be right back." Peter whispered and brushed a strand of her hair out of her face.

-

He adjusted the fire so that the embers would burn throughout the night and then he lowered himself next to Addye on the ground.

He removed his shirt and then placed it underneath Addye's head.

He couldn't seem to sleep so he just stared at the sky above him.

Addye began to whimper and she rolled towards him.

Peter turned and pulled her into his arms and once she was there, she relaxed.

She was just how he had imagined her; warm, soft, and heavy in her sleep.

-

He decided to allow his imagination to run rampant again.

_She was smiling at him._

_She was dressed in a simple blue-cotton dress, and she was running._

_Then he realized he was chasing after her and he was laughing happily._

_He leapt forward and knocked her of f of her feet._

_They laughed when they collided with the ground and he rolled with her on the ground._

_And when they finally stopped rolling he was on top and he kissed her._

He noticed that whenever he thought of her, they weren't sex-crazed dreams, or anything of that mind-frame.

They were innocent and pure.

Sometime during this daydream, he had actually drifted into sleep, but he found himself waking abruptly.

-

Something was off.

The embers were still glowing, Nanaea was still there, and Addye was…and Addye was not.

"Addye," he called out, "Addye?"

He felt the spot next to him where she had been laying, it was still relatively warm.

He heard a plop from the river and reached for his sword.

"Addye…" he whispered cautiously.

"Pete!" Addye's eyes were wide as she looked at him from the river.

-

Peter felt his whole body flush as he realized that she had been bathing.

He covered his eyes with his hand and turned away from her, "I'm sorry; I didn't know you were bathing!"

Addye began to laugh quietly, "I wouldn't have bathed but for the fact that I thought I could do so without waking you. Umm, can you hand me my dress?"

Peter went over to the saddle bags and retrieved the simple riding dress and a towel.

"How are we going to do this? Because I can't get too close to the water without seeing you and you can't change without me being able to see you."

"Close your eyes." Addye instructed, and he did.

"Now walk towards my voice," and he did.

"Keep walking until I tell you to stop, keep coming." Carefully, one step at a time he walked towards her.

He could feel the crunch of the mixture of sand, shell, rock, and grass beneath his feet.

"Stop," she commanded.

-

Addye stood from the water and walked over to Peter.

She took the towel from his hands and dried herself off.

Then she held the towel sideways and stretched it between his two hands.

"No peeking," she teased as she pulled on the simple dress.

"I won't," Peter promised.

Addye adjusted a few places here and there and then announced that she was finished.

Peter lowered the towel and smiled at her, "I promise I didn't peak."

-

Addye flushed, "I know. I'm sorry if I startled you."

"It's alright, I guess maybe next time I should pay more attention." He scratched the back of his head uncomfortably.

"Come on, you're tired, let's go back to sleep." She suggested taking his hand and leading him to their pallet.

"So is there any reason you decided to just randomly bathe in the middle of the night or did you just decide on a whim?" Peter asked.

"Well, you were asleep. So I _assumed_ that I could take a bath without the fear of risking indecency, but that turned out so well and all." She laughed lightly.

"I am sorry. I didn't know that you were bathing."

He lowered himself back onto the ground and got comfortable.

Addye lay beside him and then laid her head back onto his chest, "It's alright. At least I know you were concerned about me."

"Why wouldn't I be? I am kind of responsible for taking care of you at the moment." Peter asked seriously.

"I don't know, sometimes I just forget that people don't have to have a reason to care about someone." Addye yawned, "Well, goodnight Pete."  
"Goodnight Addye."


	13. Three Kisses That Don't Mean A Thing

A VERY short chapter on Addye's perspective of things from the new things in the last chapter; it's probably not what you'd expect but hey, why not. I most likely won't do another set of chapters like these three that I've just posted (one chapter his view, one chapter her view), but I wanted a more in depth view of their feelings so that's why I did that. I'll try to post a real chapter soon so expect an update in the next couple of days.

Thank you all who are continuing to read this story, I appreciate you all so much!

* * *

Addye woke up with her head tucked onto Peter's chest and with one of his arms wrapped loosely around her.

She laid there and looked at him thoughtfully.

'_He was worried about me at dinner tonight,_' the thought ran freely across her mind.

A smile played at the edge of her lips, and then she adjusted her head slightly.

'_Well of course he was,_' she chided herself silently, '_you are his sisters' friend and what not.'_

She felt she had just twisted a knife into her stomach, 'And _what not, what about the kisses the two of you shared? Didn't those mean anything?'_

-

A sigh, _'Three kisses; they were always in the heat of the moment, they never really meant anything. I mean for the first he was confused, so obviously that one meant nothing. The second, the second I was upset for him; I was afraid he was going to die. And the third, the third was because he was upset about leaving Narnia. None of them were actually love. They were rash; yes that's what they were, rash.'_

Addye looked upon his face once more and then turned and laid her head on the ground, no need playing at love if it wasn't going anywhere.

In her heart, she still wanted to justify the flirting; but every time she tried to, the negative side of her mind gave another retort.

The thought of, _'He always seems genuinely concerned about my well-being,'_ would be shot down by_, 'Yeah, because he made a promise to your father. You don't mean anything to him.'_

Or perhaps, _'He is bringing me to see Narnia that has got to mean something!'_ would be countered by, _'Maybe the others are embarrassed by me, maybe he's trying to get me out of the way.'_

-

She placed her hands over her face and ignored the childish tears that were starting to trickle down her face.

'_Why am I even here? All I've been is a bother, someone to slow them all down. Maybe if I could find Rayne I'd be less of a nuisance to her.' _Addye shook her head, '_I promised Peter, I wouldn't be able to break a promise to him even if I wanted to.'_

Her hands wiped at the tears and she moved to a sitting position.

Addye tilted her head and looked at him curiously seeing as he had a slight smile on his face_, 'his dreaming must be sweet.'_

She stood, shook her head, and backed away from him.

-

Her bare feet came in contact with moisture, and she looked behind herself to find a river.

She turned and looked at Peter, and then began to undress.

As the fabric puddled around her feet and she stood there bare with nothing to hide her from anyone who might want to look, Addye realized she was afraid.

Anxious, scared of the thought that Peter might not want her, heck, even of the thought of no one wanting her, for the rest of her days.

She stepped back slowly until she was submerged in water up to the bottom of her breast.

Addye took a breath and her head slipped beneath the surface.

-

It was too dark to see anything, but all the same, the feeling of weightlessness left her feeling breathless and alive, and for the moment it removed the traitorous thoughts that resided in her mind.

She surfaced and took a deep breath.

There was a mint plant that was growing half into the water, so Addye took some of the leaves and began to mash them until she had made a pulp out of it.

Addye moved to shallower water and lifted the substance to observe it.

She had made a fair amount of the product but still…with one hand, she rubbed a small amount sparingly into her skin.

Once her whole body had been covered, she smiled at the cooling sensation it gave off and then slowly began rubbing it off of herself.

She moved back into the middle of the river and slipped beneath the surface to wipe off any extra slime she felt.

-

For a moment longer she relished at the feeling of being weightless and then surfaced.

When she had resurfaced she had heard a voice cutting off, so she moved her toes on the river bottom until she had a rock between her toes.

She brought her foot to her hand and gripped the rock tightly, ready to throw it at anything that moved.

At the sound of a rustle, she jumped and dropped it back into the water, "Bugger!"

"Addye…"

She looked up to see her companion looking embarrassed, "Pete!"

Addye watched as he slapped his hand over his face and turned his back on her, "I'm sorry; I didn't know you were bathing!"

She laughed at the thought of it but had to come up with something to say besides, 'I had to bathe because thinking about you was driving me batty.'

"I wouldn't have bathed but for the fact that I thought I could do so without waking you. Umm, can you hand me my dress?"

-

She watched him as he walked away from her and towards the bags, and it wasn't until he was kneeling next to them that she realized he was shirtless.

Sure she'd been sleeping on his torso earlier but she honestly hadn't noticed; now her cheeks were lit aflame as she looked at the taut muscle of his back.

She silently wondered if she could feel them while they were lying down without him noticing.

"How are we going to do this? Because I can't get too close to the water without seeing you and you can't change without me being able to see you."

Addye blinked a few times to bring herself out of her reverie and then tried to control her voice, "Close your eyes. Now walk towards my voice."

In order to walk towards her though, he had to turn around, and turning around meant that she got a full visual on his defined muscles there.

'Keep breathing Addye, keep breathing,' she reminded herself.

-

"Keep walking until I tell you to stop, keep coming." Her voice quivered as he carefully and slowly walked towards her.

"Stop," she called out, he was ten feet away from her.

She held her breath as she began to pull herself out of the water and walked towards him.

'God, I am stark naked right now! What if he decides to look? Addye, this is Peter you're talking…_thinking_ about, he would never do that.' Her whole body was shaking as she took the towel from his left hand and she set the dress on the ground.

As quickly as she could she wiped her body dry, and then she stretched out his arms and placed a corner of the towel in each.

"No peeking," she whispered, 'kind of late to say that now but still…'

She watched the corners of his lips turn upwards, "I won't."

-

Addye pulled the simple dress over her head and pulled gently here and there making sure she was decent.

"I'm finished," she said and took a step towards Peter.

His lips spread into a wider smile, "I promise I didn't peak."

Addye felt her whole body flush at the thought of him having done otherwise, "I know. I'm sorry if I startled you."

His hand had reached up to rub the back of his head, "It's alright, I guess maybe next time I should pay more attention."

Peter's eye lids looked heavy, and he had started to sway slightly; he had been awake the whole time she had been sleeping so he was still exhausted, "Come on, you're tired, let's go back to sleep."

She linked her fingers through his and practically dragged him back to the sheets he had laid out for them.

-

"So is there any reason you decided to just randomly bathe in the middle of the night or did you just decide on a whim?" Peter asked curiously.

'You see Pete; I was contemplating the fact of whether or not you _really_ like me so…' Addye laughed quietly, "Well, you were asleep. So I _assumed_ that I could take a bath without the fear of risking indecency, but that turned out _so_ well and all."

"I am sorry. I didn't know that you were bathing." Peter said as he settled back onto the ground.

He reached and pulled Addye back beside him and then carefully led her head back onto his chest.

Addye closed her eyes and was mortified; she was getting water from her wet hair all over him! "It's alright. At least I know you were concerned about me."

"Why wouldn't I be? I am kind of responsible for taking care of you at the moment." Peter was asking her seriously, but it was breaking her heart that he said he had done it out of _responsibility_.

Once more she attempted to keep her voice from cracking as she spoke, "I don't know, sometimes I just forget that people don't have to have a reason to _care_ about someone."

-

She adjusted the sob in her throat so that it came out sounding more like a yawn, "Well, goodnight Pete."

He pulled the top sheet over them, "Goodnight Addye."

She was silent as she waited for his breathing to even out, and when it did tears joined in on dampening his chest.

She almost could have laughed at the irony of the situation.

When they had first met, she had disliked everything about him.

And then slowly but surely she had let him in, had fallen for the little things, and when he became who he really was she'd been swept away.

Now she was laying in his arms, where many girls had probably dreamt of being, and she had never felt more cold and alone.


	14. Avoiding Like The Plague

Hey everyone, I know it's been practically forever since I posted and I'm sorry. I'm even sorrier that this is really short but at least it's something.

The one year anniversary of my twin brother, Tim's, death was the fifteenth of March and I really had wanted to finish this story before then but never really got around to it. So my goal is that I finish it before our seventeenth birthday, October 10th, I really hope everyone sticks in there with me. It means a lot to me, all of the comments on the story because it's what helps me get through it all, so thank you everyone who has commented, favorited, and subscribed to/on this story. It really means the world to me.

I've got my deadline so you should see lots of new chapters in the upcoming months. :)

~Liv

-

They've ridden for two days and it seems as if they've only become more distanced.

Peter gives her smiles and talks to her openly and happily throughout the day while she contributes little.

He'll reach out to hold her at night and she'll pretend she hadn't noticed and roll over onto her other side.

She had prayed fervently that he hadn't noticed.

But at all times she's wondering what she's doing.

Why she's doing it, it doesn't quite make sense.

No, it doesn't make sense at all.

It's just her trying to avoid being hurt again.

-

It was as if she couldn't even see any positive reason for being here.

Peter was smiling broadly as he led her through the trees, his fingers interlaced with hers.

It's not like she wasn't enjoying herself, it was more along the lines of she was torturing herself by remaining with him.

He was noting different things around them before leading her in different directions.

-

Addye sighed and faked a smile as he stopped and turned towards her, "Do you know the last time I was here?"

A simple shake of the head, "We were hunting for a white stag, when Lucy saw something strange."

He stepped forward and Addye followed after, "What?"

Peter pushed some dangling branches aside and sighed, "A lamp post."

It stood serenely, wrapped in ivy with a single flame flickering.

She released Peter's fingers and walked to the post, her head cocked to the left she studied it.

Her fingers reached out and pressed against the cool metal that was still moist from the morning dew.

-

"This is where it began and ended for us, the first time anyways. The first and last thing we saw." Peter stood a little way away from the post with his back pressed against a pine tree.

"Conflicting feelings?" Addye murmurs as she starts to brush the ivy away.

"Yeah," he sighed, "Something like that."

The plant fell to the ground and made a carpet on the forest floor, "This is so surreal."

"How so?" Peter leans his head back and sighs.

She's running her finger tips along the grooves of the metal while shaking her head slowly, "My Da, he told me he saw this grow here. It GREW here Pete. No one placed it here or built it, it grew out of a broken piece of metal that came from England that Jadis threw at Aslan."

"Well yeah, when you put it that way I guess it sounds impossible."

Addye stepped back and looked over it, "It doesn't faze you at all does it?"

"I was here for twelve years listening to animals talk, I don't think much will surprise me anymore Add," a sigh and a shrug.

-

She bites into her lower lip and turns around and she's glancing at some spruces and walking towards them.

"Is that it?" she's standing next to one of the trees and she hasn't gone any further, "Is this…if I kept walking would I find myself in a wardrobe in an empty room? Is this where it is?"

Peter nods, "yeah, that's where it is; where it's been for years now I suppose."

Addye closes her eyes and she can almost hear Ivy, Margaret, and Betty cleaning and cooking while calling to each other across the house.

She can see her Da sitting behind his desk in his study with his pipe hanging out of the corner of his mouth, unlit of course because he never noticed anyways, as he studies the particular page of whatever book he's reading.

She takes an involuntary step forward and Peter's hand is on her shoulder stopping her.

"You can't, we…when we go back we have to go back to the train station. It doesn't work so that you can go where you want to; you go back to where you were before."

When she opens her eyes there are tears welling up and she takes a shaky breath and nods, "Okay."

-

Peter offers her his hand and Addye smiles at him as she takes it.

He leads her away from the trees and gives her a final look at the lamp post before walking away.

"Where to next?" she murmurs as she leans against him.

"Well, the closest place is Mr. Tumnus' and then we can head back to camp and saddle up Nanny and go wherever after that."

Addye nods and tightens her grip on Peter's hand, "I miss them."

Peter smiles at her and squeezes her hand gently, "I know, but when we go back they won't have even aged a moment. That's the worst part, missing them so terribly and finding out that they hadn't even realized that you were gone. But it's just one of those things; I don't know how to explain it. You'll pull through, I promise."

-

They walk in silence as they walk together and Peter leads them slowly along a winding path.

Addye's got this nagging feeling that's just eating her away as she thinks of how she's lying to Peter about how she feels.

How she feels like she doesn't matter to him, how she feels like a waste of space and time.

"I wonder what it's like to die." She murmurs quietly.

Peter looks at her startled, "What?"

"You know, like what would be the worst way. Rayne and I used to think up what we thought would be the worst way." Addye shrugged.

"And, what did you come up with?" He was curious but she could see the panic mixed in with his calm disguise.

"Drowning in lava, being eaten by a shark, or being trampled by a rhino." She nodded her head as she listed them, "Rayne said that I had a fear of being suffocated since two out of three of those involved drowning and one involved eventual suffocation."

"The only time you'd drown would be in the lava, but you wouldn't really be able to drown because the heat from the lava would kill you beforehand." Peter stated confused.

"No, technically while being eaten by the shark you'd also be drowning." Addye shrugged.

"I think your Da deprived you by homeschooling you. You simply don't know how to act around other people," Peter teased

-

"Probably, now I've told you my worst three scenarios what're yours?" She implores squeezing his hand gently.

"Hmm well, being skinned alive is probably up there on the list, along with decapitation, and dismemberment." He looks to see Addye with an eyebrow cocked up, "So they're a bit medieval, they'd still be gruesome and realistic."

"Gruesome yes, realistic…well I'm not so sure but neither are mine so we're even." She gives him a brief smile and allows him to lead her up a rocky hill until their standing looking at a crevice in the wall.

"Well," Peter asks as he turns to her expectantly.

"Well what?" Addye asks confused, "Am I missing something?"

"Yeah, we're here. This is where dear old Mr. Tumnus lived all those years ago." He points out the depression and how it turns into a cave.

She bites into her lower lip, "That's really quite sad."

Peter nods, "It's probably killing Lu, which is why it's good she didn't come on this journey with us. It'd have broken her heart."

-

He looks up at the sky, "It's about noon, should we head back to camp and eat or should we continue on around here?"

Addye shrugs, "It's up to you really, I don't know what else is around these parts."

Peter smiles and walks over to the stone wall and leans against it and Addye follows suit.

"Well?" She asks calmly as she presses her back against the stone.

She sees the nervous look in his eye and how his teeth are worrying his lower lip and she smiles at him.

Peter takes her hands in his and places a quick kiss to her lips.

Her body trembles and she tries to take a step back but his hands tighten around hers.

His lips are gently grazing against her cheek and he laughs, "I knew you were avoiding me."

"W-what?" Addye's voice trembles as she asks the question.

-

"You've been avoiding me like the plague for the last couple of nights and this morning, want to tell me what's wrong or are we going to dance around the subject?" Peter's now standing a foot away from her, her hands are still trapped in his, and his eyes are demanding.

"I've not been a-avoiding you!" she lies indignantly, "I have not avoided you once."

"Liar," Peter scoffs, "If you don't want to tell me just say so, no need to fib."

"I-I've…" Addye's teeth are biting into her lower lip again and there are tears threatening to spill.

Peter lets go of her hands and walks away from her fuming.

She gasps and with the wall as her support she guides her way to the ground.

Her arms wrap tightly around her knees and she cries into them just letting her feelings take control.

She cries his name and says it like it's a dirty curse, as if that will make it all better but the pain only increases in her chest.

'What have you done, what have you done?' Her mind cries out over and over again.

And it may sound cliché but it was one of those moments when she felt as if her heart had been ripped out and trampled on over and over again.


	15. I Had The Same One

"Peter!" Her body thrashes against its restraints as she cries out his name again. Its dark and she can't see anything that is around her so she weeps with lidded eyes as she tries to free herself. There's movement beside her and she tries to stifle the throbbing pain in her head that she might hear what it is. A sharp stabbing sensation travels throughout her body and she cries out in pain, again begging for Peter.

"Lu, go get the healer!" It's a feminine voice, soft and near to where she is, "Hold on Addye, everything's going to be alright." There's shuffling and even through her lidded eyes she can see that a fire has been lit. The warmth floats over to where her body is restrained and she involuntarily shudders when another shock of pain passes throughout her. The female in the room has stood and she's taking quick steps towards the other girl.

As she opens her eyes it feels as if she were trying to unstick two pieces of flypaper and she tries to focus on the figure sitting next to her. In the glow of the fire she can see brown hair, brown eyes, a pale complexion, and a worried crease in her brow; it was none other than Susan Pevensie. Addye squirms, still trying to free herself from whatever bondage she is stuck in, before realizing that it was just a few blankets wrapped tightly around her. The younger girl is settling next to her on the bed and reaches out to press the back of her pasty hand against her aching temple. She bites into her lower lip and glances at her with a worried expression. The pain comes back in an increased amount and a moan of agony slips through her lips as the door to the room she is in squeaks open and then back closed. There are heavier steps walking to her and the other side of her bed sinks from the pressure of the body.

"How is she?" The voice is hoarse and sounds weary, cool hands are gently massaging her neck.

"She…she woke up about ten minutes ago. She, she was screaming and gasping; she was begging for Peter." Her voice went out at the end of the sentence.

"She's got a fever, her salivary glands along her throat are swollen, she's having seizures periodically, and her infections are not healing properly; she's lucky to have even waken up, my lady."

Susan has her hand wrapped tightly around Addye's and squeezes tightly, "She's going to get better though. She woke up, so now she has to get better; right Doctor?"

The older man sighs and shakes his head, "We can only hope my dear." He turns his attention now to the patient that they've been talking about and gently pats her hand, "Can you speak Lady Adelynn?"

Addye nods and she croaks out a simple 'yes'.

He nods, "Good, good. Can you tell me generally where it hurts the worst? You don't have to talk just point."

Shakily she lifts up her left hand and presses it first against her head, her left side, and then on her right arm.

She doesn't move her hand for a few moments, she can feel a thick cast wrapped around the arm that she explicitly remembers Aslan healing; the pain is overwhelming as she presses against a particularly deep cut. After a moment she then moves her hand and places it on her thigh, and then finally on her stomach.

"I have some medicine that may help, but I am not completely sure if you'd want to take them. The affects are unattractive; occasionally including diarrhea, vomiting, and illusions."

In the middle of him explaining what may happen, her door opens once more and Peter rushes in wearing only a pair of breeches; and Lucy is following right behind him. Susan has moved and the eldest Pevensie takes her place. His eyes are terrified and he's checking her over to see if she's in any amount of pain before he gathers her into his arms and holds her against him. A sob slips passed her lips, she doesn't know what's happened and what hasn't, but this is what she's been _craving_ for the past few days in her subconscious. She wraps her good arm around him and buries her face into his shoulder and just holds him as tightly against her as she can.

"I'm here, I've got you. Don't worry, I'm not going to let you go, I've got you." It seems like he's whispering in her ear everything that he can think of that might be comforting, but it didn't matter what he said, just as long as he was _there_. Susan's telling Doctor Cornelius that the medicine would be a fantastic choice so long as it will help her to get better, so he nods and goes to fetch some from his medicine cabinet. Lucy has tears in her eyes as she confirms the fact that the older girl is actually awake and her sister pulls her into a hug.

"Don't ever do that to me again!" He says in her ear and she can feel how his shoulders have begun to tremble and when he lays her back down against the pillows there are unshed tears lining his eyes.

"I…I won't." Addye stutters the words and Peter's pressed his lips against hers and she mentally thinks 'four'.

But this time instead of thinking that it doesn't mean a thing, she knows that this kiss will be one that means everything; somehow she knows it will be included in the few turning points in her life.

The tears are streaming down her cheeks and Peter laughs gently as he presses his forehead against hers and sighs, "I…I was so scared that you weren't going to wake up. It's already been eleven days so it was just-I'm just so…"

She presses her forehead against his and smiles, "I know. I'm so-sorry that I w-worried you."

The pain begins in her arm and circulates throughout her body, her back arches upwards and her head presses forcefully back into her pillow. Her fingers have fisted into the sheets surrounding her and she heaves for air. Peter's hands are now cradling her head in his hand attempting to keep her from causing further damage to her head. The doctor is back and he runs over to the girl and attempts to help guide her body back down to the bed beneath her. Eventually the seizure passes and exhaustedly she sinks into the bed that is holding her; Peter's fingers are linked with hers and he's gently running his other hand along her face. The doctor gently coaxes her mouth open and then places a large pill in her mouth and convinces her to swallow after giving her a drink of water.

"She needs rest," the dwarf descendent says wearily, "Someone will need to stay with her and give her the medicine every few hours so that she'll get better, but everyone else will need to leave. Too many people around could cause her body to go into shock and she may go back into an illness related coma which she may not wake from."

Susan takes Lucy's hand and they whisper goodnight and good wishes of health and then they leave the room.

Cornelius places twelve tablets on the table next to the bed, his spectacles reflect the firelight, "She will need to take one tablet at least every four hours, make sure she drinks plenty of water, and if she has another seizure just make sure that she does not hit her head on anything." He turns to Addye and smiles, "Good night Adelynn, I hope to see you in the morning." A nod to Peter and then he's gone.

The blonde presses his lips gently against her forehead and carefully unwraps her from the mass of blankets that she's entangled in and folds them and places them onto the floor, leaving only a thin sheet. It's a relief to be free from the blankets and she stretches gratefully, her eyes follow Peter as he goes over to the elaborate fireplace and extinguishes the flame. He's back beside her in moments and she presses her head against his chest and inhales his woody scent. She realizes how weak and tired she actually is and allows her eyes to flutter closed slowly.

"I've missed you," it's quiet and she almost doesn't hear him as she drifts towards sleep.

She smiles and murmurs quietly into his chest, "I'm gonna be better now."

"Go to sleep," his words are soft but she can hear the authority behind them and as his fingers stroked her hair she felt herself slip away.

"Are you sure she's okay?" The words are whispered in an attempt not to wake her.

"She'd be better if you weren't in here practically screaming," the corners of her lips turn upwards at Peter's grumblings.

The other person sighs, "It's passed midday shouldn't she be awake by now?"

"You do realize that she is ill right? And it isn't as if she hasn't awakened yet today, she's been up three times already since she awoke last night." His voice seems further away and the door squeaks as he pulls it.

She opens her eyes to find that the doors that would lead to a terrace and the two windows in the room are covered by heavy drapes to keep any light from entering. There's a sliver shining through where two curtains meet on the doors and it's shining boldly in the room. Peter is standing in the corridor and the door to her room is barely even cracked open, the two voices continue going back and forth for a few more moments before the first leaves. The young man comes back into the room wiping a hand over his face; he appears to be exhausted, as if he hadn't slept in days.

"Morning," Addye whispers the words in an attempt not to startle him.

He smiles and sits down in an oversized plush chair next to her bed, "You're awake; how do you feel?"

"Better," it's a simple easy answer, but her throat is still sore and she doesn't really know exactly how she feels so she can't really elaborate.

A nod of the head, "Good. Are you hungry?"

Her stomach answers for her and a soft blush spreads over her cheeks, "Yes, famished actually."

Peter stands and goes to a table by the door and picks up a tray, "Let's see, we've got some eggs, fruit, something similar to the consistency of oatmeal, and apple juice."

Addye pulls herself into an almost seated position and leans back against her ample supply of pillows, "That sounds absolutely amazing."

The tray has legs so he sets them on either side of her and then goes and opens the curtains; light floods into the enormous room and she watches as a finch darts past.

The sun is shining and the sky is clear without a cloud in sight, "It's beautiful."

Peter nods and sits next to her on the bed, "Yeah, it is."

His hands have picked up the utensils she has yet to notice and he spoons a small amount of the mash onto a spoon, "Open."

"Really? You're going to feed me, Majesty?" She laughs softly, but when he gives her a stern look she opens her mouth.

He slides the utensil into her mouth and waits for her to close her lips before extracting it again.

It's better than she'd thought it would be, it was basically oatmeal but it was sweetened with honey, raisins, and cherries.

A sigh passes through her lips and she closes her eyes and savors the flavor, "I'll take it this is a win then?"

His tone is playful and she can hear the grin that is tugging at the corner of his lips, and she can't bring herself to satisfy his ego.

She vaguely waves her good hand and sighs, "I _s'pose_ it'll have to do."

He seems offended for a moment and then when she winks at him he smears a little on her nose, "Now that wasn't a very lady like thing to do now was it?"

She pokes her tongue out at him and he pushes a fork full of eggs into her orifice; they've been cooked with herbs and potatoes and the flavor pops into life in her mouth.

A quiet sigh slips past her lips and she smiles, "This is amazing."

Peter smiles, "Well good, at least you think my cooking is decent."

She looked at him startled, "Your cooking?"

He nods as he reaches for a napkin, and then he gently runs it over her nose, cleaning her of the mash.

"It's good, really good." It's a whisper and she flushes as she thinks back to a campsite in her dream when she'd cooked eggs for him.

"Thanks, yours wasn't half bad either."

A look of surprise plasters itself on her face, and he presses his hand to his forehead, "When did…when did you try my cooking?"

"I can't remember, we were in a clearing…and you' cooked breakfast. Wait, that might've been a dream." His eyes are squinted as he tries to remember.

"Dream?" Her breath caught in her throat as she said the word.

He shrugged and wiped his hand over the nape of his neck, "I had this dream…it felt so real, we were traveling and then you were avoiding me."

Her voice stumbled over the words as she tried to push them from her mouth, "I…I had the same one."

Short I know, but it did take quite a turn didn't it? So hit me up with a review, I'm trying I promise. It's so hard to write a chapter for a story when you're dying to write one for another fandom (aka Doctor Who Eleven/Amy).


	16. That's King in Shining Armor

Disclaimer: I don't own it, go figure.

Hmm-so, not sure how I feel about this chapter but here you go!

Chapter 16

That's King in Shining Armor

Silence envelops the room and Peter stares straight ahead with blind eyes.

"I don't understand," Addye's looking at him confused, "Is that even possible?"

The eldest Pevensie lets out a shaky laugh as he reaches for her good hand, "Well, obviously it is."

It's quiet for another moment and then, "So…why were you avoiding me?"

"I..it's stupid." A faint blush has covered her cheeks and she won't meet his eyes.

"Come on, I promise I won't be mad." He's teasing her again and with a smile he leans down and presses his lips to her forehead.

"I-I thought that you thought of me as a responsibility, not as…something more." She closes her eyes and smiles when Peter brushes his lip against her ear.

"Addye, you will never be anything less than _something more_ to me."

"Since you had the same dream, does that mean…well what I'm trying to say is are we still staying for three years?" She looks at him curiously as he presses a kiss to the side of her neck.

"Four, actually." He smiles and nuzzles his nose against her neck and pulls back as the sound of a faint pitter pat of feet sounds outside of the room.

The door is ripped open and Lucy slides back against the door.

"Hey, you're awake again!" The younger girl has a broad grin spread across her face which turns back to a guilty grimace when someone pounds on the other side of the door.

"Lucy if you don't-LET ME IN!" Edmund is running into the door violently before the youngest Pevensie moves over to Peter and Addye.

Addye looks at her incredulously, "What'd you do?"  
The door is thrown open and Edmund is seething.

His face is red and his eyebrows are knitted together, "Give them back-now."

His hand is outstretched and his mouth is set into a straight line.

Lucy groans and looks at her brother, "I already told you, I don't have it!"

Edmund runs forward and Peter outstretches his hands placing one on his brother's chest and the other on his youngest sister's shoulder, "STOP. Tell me what's missing."

The two stop running around and Ed places his hands on his hips, "She took _our_ rings, the ones I had on the chain."

"I did not!" The girl cried out indignantly, "I haven't even seen them since we were here last time!"

Peter sighs tiredly, "Ed, when did you see them last?"

"They were beside my bed last night, and the last person that came in was Lu to tell me that Addye had woken up, and now I can't find Janine's ring anywhere!"

He was silent for a few moments before quietly adding, "It's all I have left of her Pete."

"I know," Peter nods, "Lu, did you see the rings last night?"

She shakes her head violently, "No, it wasn't on the table when I went in there!"  
"Hey Ed, did you wear them to bed?" Addye asks quietly.

He shakes his head and looks at his sister, "No… I don't think so."

"Well did you check the bed anyways?" Peter asks tiredly.

"I checked the floor, but I never looked in between the sheets." Ed shrugs as he shakes his head slightly.

"Alright," Peter removed his hands, "Go together to look and even if you find it come back."

The two nod and then leave together.

As the door closes with a solid thud, Addye looks at Peter curiously, "Who is Janine?"

"Ed's wife." There's this look in his eyes when he says it, kind of like when you're remembering something particularly painful.

It was surprising and her face probably showed it, "Ed was married?"

"Yeah, they were married for five years. They met when they were around fifteen when Ed went sailing to the island Galma, where Janine grew up. It wasn't long after that that they got married, they were together three years. When she was twenty and Ed was twenty-one, three years before we left, she got pregnant. She had made it into her third trimester and then there were complications. She started to bleed and she had a miscarriage; she didn't make it, she'd lost too much blood. Ed never really got over her; he always kept their wedding rings on a chain."

When Peter finished his eyes were glazed slightly like he wasn't really there.

"I'm sorry," she's sincere when she says it, it almost feels as if she'd known the girl and it breaks her heart.

"Her dying from the miscarriage is what made me kind of want to be a doctor; I've never seen anyone look so helpless before. And then you getting hurt only made it seem like destiny."

The room is thickly silent for the moments that pass, and Addye gently pulls on the ends of his hair and gives him a hesitant smile.

It's quiet until the door reopens and Ed enters his fingers gently running over the two rings hanging from his neck, Lucy follows in behind him with a satisfied smile across her face.

"I'm sorry Lu, I should have checked everywhere before blaming you."

She nods, "It's okay, so long as you know that I didn't take them. I know how important she is to you."

He sighs quietly, "Yeah."

"All sorted?" Peter says calmly to the two young royals.

"Yeah." Edmund nods, "I guess."

Addye sets her head back against the head board and gently trails her fingers over her broken arm.

"Alright then, the two of you go ahead and head out and try not to cause any trouble for the Telmarines."

The two nod their heads and then proceed to exit the door.

"Are you alright?" Peter asks the question as he rests his forehead against hers tiredly.

A brief smile passes over her lips, "I've felt better."

Peter traces his fingers over her cheek gently, "I'm sorry, I feel like this is my entire fault; if I hadn't told you to go back you wouldn't be in this predicament."

She shakes her head gently, "I'm getting better now, I'm awake aren't I?"

"So what are we going to do over the next four years Miss Glynne?" He's got this teasing glint in his eyes and he's smiling his one sided grin.

She raises her shoulders up and laughs, "I dunno _Mr_. _Pevensie_, I kind of figured I'd be stuck in here for a while, but after that…I suppose that's up in the air."

"Mmhmm," he's silent for a moment before he looks up at her, "What do you want to be, back in England? When you grow up?"

"I don't know, I always kind of thought I'd like to stay home and raise a family, home school them and what not; and if I never get married I've thought about being a nurse, but that's about it." Addye smiles, "And I already know what you want to be!"

"Yeah; so a stay at home mom or a nurse, I think you'd be a better mom. No offense meant or anything, I'm sure you'd be a good nurse and all, but I think you'd be a great mom." Peter shrugs and smiles.

Addye smiles back and then winces when the pain of a seizure overwhelmed her.

The muscles of her upper torso began to contract and her eyesight began to blur, "PETE!"

She can feel his hand in hers give a gentle squeeze, "It'll be alright, it's going to pass just give it a minute."

There was no attempt to restrain her as there had been the previous night, just his voice guiding her through it.

After a few minutes her muscles slowly relax and her jaw loosens from its locked position.

She keeps her eyes closed and attempts to even out her breathing.

Hands are gently rubbing circles up and down her arms, "Better?"

Addye nods her head slowly, "I suppose so."

He presses his lips to her forehead and continues his ministrations, "How about you take a nap."

"That…sounds really good." She wraps her arms around his shoulders and pulls him down beside her, "Stay with me?"

Peter laughs, "sure."

He pulls her head gently onto his chest and brushes his fingers through her hair.

The light is still streaming through the windows and the birds are twitting idly outside.

Her body is becoming heavy and her consciousness is about to slip before she remembers something she'd wanted to ask.

"Hey Pete," it's just a whisper and it comes out slightly slurred.

"Hmm?" He sounds out of it.

Her jaw stretches as she yawns widely, "Who was at the door earlier?"

"One of Cornelius' scribes that wants to interview you on your time with us and about what happened when your Da was here, you should be thanking me for making him go away."

She snorted and hugged him gently, "Thank you then, I guess this makes you my prince in shining armor yeah?"

"No, this makes me your King in uh…yeah lets go with shining armor. I skipped the whole prince thing." He had a goofy smirk on his face and she smiled as she closed her eyes again.

"I just don't think it's a good idea for you two to be sleeping in the same room." Susan sounds exasperated.

"So _dear_ _Susan_, where have you been sleeping these past few weeks?" Peter's smiling, she can tell.

"I um…I'm um, _fine_." Her cheeks are flushed and she turns her head.

Peter nods, "That's what I thought."

Addye laughs, "I don't see what the big deal is Su, I mean we've basically been "sleeping" in the same room since we've gotten to Narnia."

"That's not the same; you two are sharing the same bed. Don't say anything." Her finger is pointed in a straight line at her brother.

He holds both of his hands up and laughs, "I wasn't going to your honor."

"Besides, the Telmarines are starting to talk!" Susan said throwing her arms up into the air.

Peter scoffed, "As opposed to them talking about you sleeping with their King?"

"Peter!" Her face and ears have turned red.

"Susan!" He's smiling.

"Alright you two, let's talk about something else!" Addye says throwing her hands up in the air and adjusting in the seat that she's been placed in.

The two continue on bickering despite her protests so the blonde girl sighs and takes in her surroundings. They're in a courtyard that oversees the Narnian forest, the sky is painted with hues of purples and pinks as the sun travels towards the western plane, the grass and trees are tinted gold from the suns quickly fleeting rays; a picture of perfection. Around them are flowers and bushes, carefully pruned and tended with love. There are butterflies and bees flying about lazily and a hummingbird settles for a moment before flying away.

She tunes back into the conversation, which in her brief lapse of attention has turned to an old trip that they'd been on on their last visit to Narnia.

"No Su, I was on a Palomino, Lu was on the Appaloosa, Ed was on Phillip, who was a Silver Bay, and you were on the Friesian; trust me." His hands are intertwined behind his head and he smiles as she squints her face trying to recall the memory.

"I could have sworn you were on the Pinto!" She groans, "I feel so old, too many memories for one head!"

"You feel old, Su you're practically ancient!" He teases and pokes her, "And no, I tried to ride the Pinto when we went to meet that duke. Remember because he threw me off and then we had to spend a whole day trying to catch him back again?"

"I am NOT ancient Peter!" She slaps him irritably and then nods to the assessment of where the Pinto fit into everything, "Didn't Ed get a rip in the seat of his pants on that one?"

"Yeah, yeah he did." He smiles and turns to Addye, "You've been quiet."

"I gave up, you two were having such fun arguing I saw it futile to try and input my opinion on anything." She smiles cheekily at him.

"That wasn't arguing, Addye. Trust me; you'd know if we were arguing. Things would start flying and we'd all be blue in the face and hoarse and incapable of getting out of bed in the morning. Mum says it's terribly frightening when we get into it and all, a right mess of things." He winks his right eye to alert her to the fact that he's teasing.

"Yeah, you should have seen some of the goes him and Ed got into after Dad left; bloody noses, black eyes, broken windows, broken doors, broke…" Peter interrupts her.

"I think she gets the picture Su." He rolls his eyes.

"What about you and Lu, Susan? Did you two ever get into any "serious" rows?" Addye asks with a smile.

"No, that was more of those two's forte. Lu and I got on just fine, occasionally we'd have a yelling match; but when that was the whole family stepped in and we were always bitter for about a week afterwards until no one could take the silence and loneliness of the house anymore and everyone would start talking at once." She shook her head, "Not very fun times."

"No, I suppose not. The war put a strain on everyone. I remember Betty, one of the house maids, her son got sent off to war and she was bitter and snarky with everyone for months before she finally just broke down and cried, then she was back to normal. Strange times, and to think they're still not even over." She looks at the two Pevensies and laughs, "This is so odd."

"What that we've lived three weeks while back home not more than even a second has passed and no one's noticed our absence? I think that's reality now, wouldn't know what to do without it really." Peter sighs.

The doors behind them open and then there's a sound of feet on the cobblestones.

"You guys, it's time for dinner, Caspian wanted to know if you were coming." Edmund's standing there expectantly waiting an answer.

The three looked between each other and nodded, "Sure, why not. Ed, tell his royal highness to add three to the dinner party tonight."

Edmund goes over to his sister and she takes his arm, "See you two in a bit."

Peter stands and goes over to the seat that Addye's at and leans down so she can get a grip on his shoulder.

He helps her to a standing position and then wraps an arm around her waist and moves her hand to his.

"Dinner my lady?" Peter smiles as they make their way up the steps.

"Why that sounds lovely, sir." Addye rests her head on his shoulder and squeezes her arm tightly around his waist.

He continues on with their game with a grin as they turn down a corridor, "Why then I suppose you would like to be my escort?"

"Why however did you know?" She's giggling now as they continue their playful banter.

"I dunno, must've been a hunch." They turn down a last corridor and walk into the large dining room.

"Some heck of a hunch, Mr. Pevensie." Peter smiles at her and pulls her chair back, assists her into it, before pushing her back in and pressing a kiss to her cheek.


	17. In Which Lucy Becomes Befuddled

Disclaimer: Still don't own, I promise you'll know when I do.

Chapter 17

In Which Lucy Is Befuddled

Lucy smiles and nudges Susan when their brother and his female acquaintance entered the small breakfast room.

"Well good morning sleepy heads." The young girl is grinning widely, "It's nice of you two to join us for a change."

"Morning," Addye smiles at the small group as she settles into an empty seat beside Edmund while Peter took a chair across from her by Caspian.

"It's not our fault that the four of you like to eat breakfast at an ungodly time of the morning, I mean what the sun's been up four hours and you're already ready to eat. Some of us do like to get a decent night's sleep Lu." He smiles and flips her pony tail-braid off of her shoulder.

"Pete!" She giggles, "Caspian can you pass the butter please?"

The newly crowned king smiles and passes the plate to the girl, "So Adelynn, you are feeling better yes?"

She nods, "Very much so, thank you. How is kingship treating you?"

"Oh, it has its odds and ends, but for the most part it's pretty simple. Wake up early, observe a baptism at the church, listen to the common man's needs, address the needs, go attend a budget meeting, help plan battle regiments, eventually I lost track of what I'm supposed to be doing and miss something that I inevitably have to make up the next day-if at all possible otherwise formal apologies are in order." He smiles, "Yeah I know, what a life."

"I didn't say anything!" She laughs, "Ed, what've you been up to?"

He shrugs, upon doing so she catches the glint of silver from the chain around his neck, "Mainly catching up on some reading, reviewing what's happened the past few hundred years. I found a flaw, an irregularity if you will, in the management of the crops. They're putting way too much into planting them, and aren't receiving a lot of output so I was going to head down there with Caspian later and have it sorted out."

"Nice, very well done!" She pats him on the back and gives him a smile.

Peter looks surprised, "Why didn't I know about this ingenious discovery that my brother has found?"

"Oh it may be for the fact that you haven't come out of Addye's room in ages, but that may be just a theory. I've got more if you want to hear them." Peter throws a roll at him and laughs

"Don't throw food Peter; honestly you're as bad as a three year old." Susan scolds and receives a roll in her face, "LU!"

The younger girl giggles, "Well _honestly_ Susan, someone was bound to do it one of these days! You always try to act like you're so much older than you are, live a little Su."

Susan raised an eyebrow at her and began to retort when another roll was thrown at her, "Honestly Ed, honestly!"

"Don't fret Su, it will age you more than your 1300 years can handle then it'll be all wrinkles and age spots, and you know there's no turning back from there." Ed's laughing is contagious and eventually food is flying throughout the room.

Caspian receives a face full of eggs from Peter, Susan gets pelted with yet another roll from Ed, Lucy drops her entire plate of hash browns on Addye's head, Addye throws bacon at Ed, Susan throws a fist full of almonds at Peter, Caspian throws a few pieces of balled up toast at Lucy, and the festivities might have continued if a very dignified and official sounding "_Heh Hem_" hadn't sounded throughout the room causing each of them to stop and drop whatever they had had within their hands allowing it to fall to the floor.

They looked up to find one of the council members standing awkwardly, shuffling back and forth from one foot to the other, with Glenstorm who had a bemused expression that involved a cocked up eyebrow.

"Meh…My Lord…Lords and Ladies, I um…I, he hem, King Caspian, the Council is now in session my Lord we're just waiting upon your arrival." The man was slightly overweight and it was obvious that the awkwardness of the situation and his heavy tunic were causing him to perspire greatly.

"Of course Lord Deirus, I'll be there in a few minutes. Glenstorm," He nods and takes the forearm of the mighty centaur, "All goes well?"

A simple nod of the head, "I was just accompanying Lord Deirus to make sure you had suffered no harm."

Caspian smiles and glances around the room, "Yeah…"

After the two leave the six adolescents burst into laughter, "I'm not sure what they were thinking, crowning a teenager king."

The King is clutching his sides as he bends down to attempt to clean up some of the mess that the room has been subjected to.

"No, no, Caspian go. We can take care of this, I'm sure this council meeting is very important and they'll be incapable of beginning without your presence." Susan smiles and the other four nod in agreement.

He sighs, "I see how it is, you just want me to die from the boredom of council. Fine, I'll go. I bid you all farewell."

The group laughs and continues their work.

"Peter this is all your fault!" Susan laughs, "If you hadn't thrown that roll at me none of this would've happened in the first place!"

"Admit it Su, you had fun." Addye teases.

"Well I didn't say that I didn't, I just said that it's Peter's fault. Indefinitely." She looks over to her friend and laughs again.

Lucy stops suddenly from where she was about to pick up a roll and turns to her sister, "Hey do you think we should've told Caspian that he still had eggs in his hair?"

Edmund snorts and shakes his head, "I'm sure he'll figure it out eventually."

It wasn't long after they'd mostly cleaned up when a young maid came in and shoved them all out and immediately began cleaning.

"I guess she didn't like our work." Peter shrugged and the group burst into peals of laughter yet again.

"So Ed, when is your meeting with Caspian with the whole crops…thing?" Peter asked curiously.

"Not for a couple of hours yet. Why, are you interested?" Edmund elbowed him gently.

"Yeah, if you wouldn't mind I'd like tagging along. It's nice to know that my brother has skills." Peter wraps his arm around his brother's shoulders and gives him a gentle squeeze.

The younger boy shrugs, "Sure, but I'd have to clue you in on the minor details now. Do you think you can part with our dear Lady Adelynn for the day?"

He's teasing and Peter feigns hurt, "Oh I don't know if I'll be able to survive."

Peter presses the back of his hand to his forehead and pretends to sway, "I think I feel faint."

The girls giggle and Addye swats his shoulder, "Go with your brother, I'm sure I can manage without you for the day."

"Ooh, you do realize that means girl time right?" Susan said happily hooking her arm through Addye's good one.

Lucy smiles and hooks her arm through Susan's other one, "Sounds like a plan!"

Peter laughs, "I suppose it's all settled then; I'll see you at dinner."

Addye nods and smiles, "S'pose so."

He presses a quick kiss to her forehead and turns to leave when Lucy says, "That's it? No dramatic sweep-her-off-of-her-feet-into-this-amazing-kiss-that-makes-her-think-of-you-all-day-until-you-return-to-her?"

He considers it for a moment and then nods, "Yup; come along Ed."

The blonde girl laughs at the bewildered look on Lucy's face, "Come along Lu, it's time for some girl time."

"But…he-and you! But…why not?...huh?" Susan gives a slight tug on her sister's arm.

"Come on Lu; you can sort out your puzzles later, for the moment we need to have girl time _before_ Peter comes back and the two of them are all lovey-dovey inseparable again." She tugs the girl along and they begin they're walk down the corridor.

Addye rolls her eyes and elbows Su gently, "Honestly Susan, we are not _inseparable_, and we are most definitely not _lovey_-_dovey_!"

Lucy snorts coming out of her confused state, "Sure you aren't, because if you were you two would be alone together all day and locked inside your bedroom sleeping next to each other while Pete has his shirt off and you're all cuddled next to him-oh wait! You two are doing that now aren't you?"

"LU! That doesn't mean that we're-" After receiving a pointed look from Susan that included a full stop in the middle of the hallway she rethought her wording, "Alright, so maybe it does; but you two make us sound smitten as if we never separate. What's really happened is that he, unlike you two, was sticking around to help me out."

"Hah! Hah!" Susan snorts, "That's funny. It's more along the lines of he wouldn't let anyone else help, or stick around. The only reason I was in your room when you first woke up was because Peter had gone off to clean up and he didn't want to leave you alone."

Exasperatedly she sighed, "Can we please find a different topic of discussions now?"

"What not enjoying hearing about how others see your love life?" Susan teased.

"No, not at all. I know I've missed out on quite a bit so go on spill, what's been happening while I've been…oh, how did you put it again _while the two of us were alone together all day and locked inside my bedroom? _She smirked and nudged the girl.

"Not much; as you know Ed's been helping Caspian out, Lu here's been out on a few hunting exhibitions, and I've been in the city helping around." Susan shrugged and looked over at Lucy.

Lucy nodded enthusiastically, "Yep, post new ruler clean up processions."

"I don't see how you going on hunting trips qualifies as post-new-ruler-clean-up-processions, Lu."

The younger girl shrugs, "It's a rough life but someone's got to live it."

Susan swatted at her and laughed, "What shall we do today ladies?"

"Ooh! I know!" Lucy unhooked her arm from Susan's and jumped up and down excitedly, "We can go out on a horse ride, if we leave within the hour we could make it to the un-Frozen Lake, stay for lunch, and be back by supper."

Susan glances at Addye and smiles, "Girl time on horseback, sounds fun to me."

The blonde nodded and smiled, "I'd like that."

Lucy bolted down the corridor while calling behind her, "I'm going to get lunch, meet you in the stables!"

The two older girls laughed and continued towards the stables, "So dear Su, tell me something."

"Yes?" She smiled jovially and added a slight skip to her step.

Addye matched her step before asking lightly, "What's going on between you and our dear new King?"

"Oh…that question." A frown pulled at the corners of the girls grin and she just shrugged, "We're not staying so…well, Caspian and I talked about it and decided recently that it wouldn't work out and all since I'm so much older than him. No, we'll just be friends. Too much heartbreak and uproar if we got together and all, it's for the best."

Her voice would cut off periodically as she tried to explain but she simply shrugged and pushed the doors open that lead them outside, "No harm; no foul."

The two laughed and walked across the courtyard stopping here and there to converse with the few people wandering around before continuing to the stables.

Upon entering there were three saddled horses and a grinning Lucy leaning against the back wall, "Well hullo, you two took your sweet time about getting here didn't ya?"

"Sorry, we were talking." Addye smiled.

Susan teasingly pinched her cheek before climbing onto a chestnut mare, "We've been known to do that you know?"

The two remaining girls mounted the remaining horses and the three took off over the plains.

* * *

"…and that's when Su's bow loosed the arrow that'd been notched in it and she shot Pete in the rear! He wasn't very happy…stuck in the infirmary for a week!" Lucy was snorting at the memory as she lay in the heather that was along the shore of the lake, an apple core in her right hand.

"Hmm, yes he did have a few choice words for me after that." Susan's lips were turned into the slightest of smiles and her eyes were lidded.

"_Addye" _It was just a whisper being carried on the breeze.

"Did you say something Lu?" Addye whispered as she sat up in the grass.

"Nothing since Su shot Pete, why?" She had threaded her fingers behind her head and was drifting towards sleep.

"No reason just thought you might've added something." A glance at Susan said she had fallen asleep as well.

"_Addye, look into the water."_

The wind gently tousled her locks and they fluttered gently in front of her.

She pulled herself onto her knees and crawled to the edge of the water, cautiously peering in.

She gasped and fell back when she saw something peering back.

After a moment she looked back in.

The vivid blue skin had stood in great contrast to the murky waters of the lake as well as her long shimmering silver hair.

Her fingers were webbed, eyes are yellow with pale white irises, and her perfectly formed lips are a deep shade of violet.

"I'm sorry…but what _are_ you?" She finally managed to stammer out.

The bubbly voice that spoke, spoke not like the voice on the breeze but inside her _mind._

"_Lady, you would know me more as a Naiad, but my people who reside in the waters of the lakes are called Limnatides. I am called Anaise."_

She waited patiently for a response, her pale eyes blinking only once or twice in the expanse of time.

"I'm sorry I don't mean to sound rude, but why did you want to talk to me?" Her pale cheeks flush with color.

"_You're sister, Lady. She bade me to talk with you, she wishes to see you again…to explain." She wriggled slightly in the water for a moment when a look of disgust passed across her face._

"My sister is dead." It's dumb and she knows it, and if that _dream_ that she had had meant anything than she knew perfectly well that her sister was alive, well, and a tree nymph.

"_So quick to believe the old man who captured you both," she shook her head for a moment before turning back to Addye, "I am to deliver something to you as well, but you must lean in close because I cannot come far from the water's surface."_

Addye felt a knot of discomfort rip through her stomach, something was wrong.

The face in the water was still waiting patiently, Lu and Susan were still asleep in the grass, and the horses were a ways away snacking on some grass.

_Aslan, I could really use a sign right now!_ It was a silent prayer and when nothing happened, she leaned in over the water.

Two slimy hands press to either side of her face and hold it right above the water so that her nose is just barely touching it.

Then the blue figure lifts herself from the water and presses her lips against Addye's.

She tried to wrench herself away, but the slimy hands were holding her head in a death lock.

It felt as if all of the air was being sucked from her lungs, and the edges of her vision had begun turning white.

_You're going to die Adelynn Glynne, just as you were always supposed to!_

The yellow eyes had began shifting until they were entirely black.

A pair of arms wrapped tightly around her midsection and yanked her away from the disappearing nymph.

When she falls back onto the long untamed heather, there was no one around her except for a stirring Susan and Lucy.

Her body trembles as she coughs and heaves, desperately trying to regain air.

She squeezes her eyes closed for a moment and she feels something that she'd only felt once in her life; an overwhelming peace that filled her whole body like warm honey.

_Aslan_

"Thank you."

Susan yawned widely before standing, "Come along you two, we've all slept later than we should've. The boys'll be sick with worry."

Addye nods numbly before standing from the grass and clamoring onto her steed.

* * *

Peter had smiled when he'd seen her come through the gates and had helped her down promptly, "Wasn't sure if you three planned on returning, honestly."

"How was your Addye free day?" Lucy teased as she gracefully jumped from the back of her horse.

"Slow," he grinned.

After that everything went by in a blur; she could remember flashes when asked about it, at dinner there was Peter's hand gently caressing hers, Ed talking about a malfunction in the use of farm equipment, Lucy and Susan talking with Caspian about adding a park for children; in the garden they had all laid in the courtyard laughing like children.

When it was time for bed Addye had walked down the halls with Peter at her side until they came to the doors, "I think, I'd like to sleep alone tonight Pete. If that's okay with you."

He grinned and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Yeah, sure. I'll see you in the morning, sleep well."

She nodded and smiled half-heartedly, "Yeah, you too."

Her body had slipped through the door before he'd even made a full rotation and she drug herself into her feather-down bed.

_You're going to die Adelynn Glynne, just as you were always supposed to!_


	18. She Was Falling Apart

Chapter 18

She Was Falling Apart

As her body remained still throughout the night, her mind wandered far away.

_It was hazy at first, and when it cleared up it was only a flash of a memory, "Come along Adelynn, let's go into the city for a bit. I want to go buy that dress before the wedding."_

"_Go by yourself Rayne, I'm tired and I just want to go to sleep!" The blonde girl had moaned and protested burying her face further into her pillow._

_Rayne sighed and flung herself on the bed next to her sister, "Please, I promise we won't be there long."_

"_And then we'll go swimming?" She sounded determined._

_There was a flash of something that crosses the older girl's eyes as she reluctantly nodded, "Sure, if we get back before night falls. And in order to do that we have to leave now!"_

"_Fine."_

_The scene shifted._

"_Come on Rayne, I just want to go swimming!" She couldn't be any older than nine._

_The older girl sighed and focused on the paper in front of her, "Let's go another day Addye, Da says we need to finish our work before we can go anywhere."_

_Shift_

"_Look Da! There in the water, don't you see it? It's so pretty!"_

"_Stay away from the edge Addye!"_

"_Why? I'm not going to fall."_

"_I just don't want you to get hurt is all."_

_Shift_

_They were young, Addye remembered this one. She had wanted her mother and father even though she hadn't ever known them._

"_They're not coming back Addye."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because they're gone, just like Gram."_

"_Well why'd they have to go?"_

"_They didn't want to…"_

"_Then why?"_

"_Because they drowned!"_

_Shift_

"_Addye, Addye where are you?" The voice was panicked._

"_Over here Nanna, by the water."_

"_Get away from there now!"_

_Shift_

"_Let's play like we're the water nymphs in Da's stories"_

_Shift_

"_You're going to die Adelynn, just as you were always supposed to!"_

"_You're going to __**die**__ Adelynn__**, just as you were always supposed to!"**_

"_**just as you were always supposed to!"**_

Her body jerked straight up in the night and she gasped for breath as the tears poured down her face in streams.

Streams, rivers, lakes, ponds-water; the center of all of her problems for as long as she could remember.

"Rayne…" her eyes shift and for a moment it's as if she's remembering something she's never seen.

"_You've got to be the one who does it Raina!"_

"_I…I can't, she's my sister!"_

"_They'll find her, and you know it will be worse if it's them instead of you!"_

"_But I can't hurt her! She's my little sister."_

"_You have to."_

"_But Mommy, why can't you or Daddy do it? Why does it have to be me? Why do I have to kill my sissy?"_

With sobs wracking her body she tore from the bedroom and ran down corridors until she found an exit that lead to a courtyard.

In the middle, a willow tree was swaying; it's branches were reaching out to her as if they could feel her pain.

She falls to her knees and crawls until her she's able to press her back against the tree and let herself cry.

The tree shifts behind her and one of the limbs tilts down and gently cradles her against it.

"_Do not cry dear one and do not be afraid."_

Addye's body trembled and when she attempted to stand she found her feet restrained.

"_Don't you remember my voice dear one? It's me. It's me Addye. You've got to remember A, you've got to."_

_The wind shifted slightly and the willow became increasingly desperate, "They're searching you out, you've got to remember when you were younger and wanted to know why you couldn't go swimming. Addye you MUST remember it's of great importance."_

Her head had begun to feel heavy so she rested it back against the willow, and her brow furrowed as she tried to remember, "Rayne said that there were dangers in the water that even she didn't understand and that I was never to go swimming under any circumstance unless there were lots of people with me."

"_And?" The tree prompted almost desperately._

After searching for the answer for a few moments it came back to her, "they need to be awake."

"_I can't protect you anymore Addye, they're already coming after you. They even went to Earth to try and get you, remember Adelynn. Remember the men who attacked Rayne, there was something off about them you must remember!"_

She had tried so hard to block the memories that it was difficult to summon the thoughts, something about their faces had been off.

Something about…their eyes.

They had seemed to melt together to form a single eye, "Cyclops."

"_Yes! Yes you do remember! You must tell someone that you need to leave this place Adelynn, stay away from water. Empty fields are the safest places for you now, there or underground. If trees ever try to talk to you or woodland folk, anything un-alive you must run! Stay safe dear one."_

Her body jolted awake but this time felt real, she gently patted her chest and stomach before glancing outside and seeing the rain fall.

"_They're already coming after you."_

Who, who was _they_ and why her?

Her feet lowered to the ground and slowly she made her way out of her room and into Susan's.

The brunette was sitting on her bed humming quietly when she came in, "Addye, good mor…what's wrong?"

Addye closed her eyes and groped for words for a second before telling the younger girl about the nymph and the dream(s).

"I have to go Su, I can't stay here. I need to go home." Her words were slow and measured but she knew that Su wouldn't see them that way.

"Aslan's gone for now, until he comes back we can't get you back. Right now the safest place for you to be is in this castle surrounded by people, we'll need to tell the others at breakfast." Susan's voice trailed off when Addye interrupted.

"NO! You musn't tell the others Su! Please, just you and me. No Caspian, Ed, Lucy…not even Peter; please Susan, I'm begging you." There were tears in her eyes and she just wanted for her friend to understand but she was sure that she didn't.

"He loves you Addye, you need to tell him." Susan's eyes were unsure and debating all consequences.

She shook her head, "It's better if he doesn't know, I-I need to go Su, my sister…she's out there somewhere and she need s to tell me something, I know she does. I don't want to hurt him Su, I never did but I need to go. And maybe that's how this trip was supposed to work out, maybe I was supposed to stay here and you four go back. Maybe I wasn't ever meant to make the return trip with you guys. I'm sorry Su, I've got to go." There are tears rolling down her cheeks as she realizes that it's the truth.

"There's a hunting party leaving tomorrow afternoon…you could always, I dunno, disappear. I could tell them that you'd around and come back here, it wouldn't be until later that they found out you were gone." She was hanging her head in shame.

"Thank you Su, but could you really do that? For me?" It didn't even take a minute before the eldest Pevensie girl was nodding her head.

"Anything for my sister," was all she murmured before looking at me with tears in her eyes.

Addye stepped from the room and into the hallway where she was gathered into a hug, "Morning."

She wrapped her arms tightly around the blonde headed man and just held him to her tightly, "Hi."

He didn't let her go, sensing that she was a bit sensitive this morning, "I couldn't sleep a wink last night, kept having night terrors."

_And all of those that you held dear and close shall fall because of you: they're greatest downfall._

Her grip on him became tighter and a few stray tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I love you," it was just a breathy whisper but he still managed to catch it and she could feel his whole body smile which only made her heart break.

"Good," he mused, "Because I'm very much so in love with you."

She let him think that the tears that were overwhelming her were from this exchange, but truthfully she was falling apart.

All throughout the day, one of the Pevensies or Caspian would do something and her eyes would become misty and a few stray tears would escape the floodgates.

As the day was coming to a close she again told Peter that she wanted to sleep by herself, she wrapped her arms around him and held him closely before pressing her lips to his.

"I love you," she whispered, "I love you so much and I wish that you would always remember that."

"I will," Peter kisses her forehead and then smiles at her, "Goodnight, I love you."

Tonight she stands at her door and watches him as he disappears down the hallway.

When she slips into her room she immediately grabs a quill, ink, and parchment.

She quickly writes that she's gone out on a morning ride, and that if she hasn't returned by the time they leave for the hunting trip than she wishes them good fortune and that they bag her a big one.

With tears flowing down her cheeks she grabs a knapsack and fills it with two blankets, a couple of light changes of clothes, and all of the fruit that she had around her room.

She shouldn't have told Susan and she knows it now, but at least this way she'll be able to honestly say that she didn't know when or where she had left.

Addye stuck the paper onto the nail that protruded from her door and then made her way into the stables where she saddled up Nanaea and climbed on.

She only looked back once, "Please remember Pete."


	19. Filler

AN: Meh, it's short but I already have the next chapter written up and I needed something to fill the space in between it. (Also, I still don't own in case anyone may have been wondering!)

She'd ridden so far north and east that she wasn't even sure where she was.

Somehow, she'd managed to find a clearing in a patch of woods that was both far and near enough to water that she wouldn't die of dehydration, drown, or be suffocated by some form of nymph.

There was tree cover, and truthfully she felt safer hidden in the shade of their limbs than she had in the castle.

Nanaea had been restless since they'd gotten here, she would turn and whinny whenever she looked at one of the pine trees and then scuff her hoof on the ground.

She was shaky and nervous, but there didn't seem to be anything around that could be bothering her.

After careful thought and consideration, Addye removed the saddle bags and packed the luggage into a knap sack and gently she pushed at the dark horses muzzle, "Go, go on home Nanny."

The horse had looked at her and pawed the ground gently nudging her as if to say, "Come on, we've got to go; come with me."

"Nanny just go! Tch tch, go home!" she pushed at the horses broad neck and with a snort and a glance back at her, Nanaea trotted slowly away.

Addye nodded and took a quick look around.

There was nothing around here as far as she could tell that was dangerous.

She'd scouted for food earlier and had found that about a half mile south of the clearing there were apple and orange trees and then a little west of the creak that ran to the east there were berry bushes.

With a nod of the head she worked on building a fire pit and then began gathering wood to build a simple lean-to which she put her bedroll under.

It hadn't taken long for the silence to get to her.

On the way up she'd begun speaking to Nanaea just so she could hear something, but it hadn't done her much good.

Now as she lay here in the bedroll with it tightly wrapped around her, she wasn't so sure if she should have run.

It had been impulsive and foolish and nothing at all like what she would normally have done, it was more of what Rayne would've done.

Her mind noted the lion in the stars and how he seemed so strong and majestic and next to it she could've sworn she saw four thrones and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes before she turned and faced the wall of foliage she had created.

As she drifted towards a fitful sleep she was sure she heard giggling.

_She dreamed of soft foot fall all around her, a pair of reed pipes being played softly, and tanned people dancing and talking quietly around her._

_There was a girl who looked like Rayne but not, instead of smooth straight brown hair, it was frazzled and everywhere._

_There were little wild flowers stuck into it and an eagle feather was attached to a leather band that wrapped around her forehead._

_Her fingers were long and narrow and the veins that were prominent seemed to run silver instead of green._

_What bothered Addye the most was the fact that the girl was clad in an over the shoulder shirt and a small skirt that were made entirely from yellow and red leaves._

_The not-Rayne had sat down next to her, run her spindly fingers along the contours of her face, and smiled before saying warmly in a way that reminded Addye of honey, "Welcome sister." _

He hadn't wanted to leave without saying goodbye but the others had been persistent telling him the earlier they set off, the sooner they'd return. With an irritable sigh he'd tugged at the reins and followed Caspian and Ed out of the gates while Su and Lucy tagged along side of him eagerly talking about the hunt.

The first two days no one saw any movement in the trees, but on the third day Ed spotted a stag and it turned into a race to catch him.

The stag was agile and intelligent and for a while the kings and queens were concerned they were chasing a Narnian, but were relieved of their fears by Glenstorm who informed them it was just another animal.

They had ridden throughout the night and had yet to shoot so much as an arrow within ten feet of him when he all but seemingly disappeared.

Caspian had dismounted and was following different trails before they saw movement and the stag was off again.

The king had hurriedly remounted and everyone took off yet again.

It went on for two days with no one so much catching a wink of sleep, before Susan finally managed to shoot him down with a victory cry.

Afterwards they bagged a two wild boars and a six point deer before turning back to the castle.

Yet, all the while throughout the trip Peter was sure that something was wrong.

They were greeted with applause and cheers when they entered the cities gates and the kings and queens just smiled and tried to make their way towards the stables.

Everyone sorely removed themselves from their saddles groaning and stretching and muttering about baths before disappearing.

Susan had given Pete an uneasy smile before handing her reins to a stable hand and heading into the castle.

The boy simply shrugged before removing his horse's saddle and giving him a rub down after providing him with a warm mash.

His work finished he stretched tiredly and took the stairs into the castle at a slow gate before turning down a corridor that would lead to his room.

It seemed to take him twice as long as normal before his fingers wrapped around the knob and turned it just enough to open the door and then close it again.

Quickly stripping down, he walked behind the screen in his room to find warm water waiting for him in the tub that he'd submerged himself in.

With a sigh he began scrubbing away at the past few days' worth of dirt and grime that had accumulated on his skin and under his nails before scrubbing the forest from his hair.

He looked over half longingly to his bed before locating an olive green tunic and brown breeches and pulling them on along with a pair of boots.

Peter stretched his arms over his head still trying to figure out why he was still bothered and what could be the source of it as he made his way to the courtyard.

He had half expected to find Addye there with charcoals in hand, tracing the boughs of the oak that was standing at the edge of the cliff, but was instead met with stony silence and a lazy butterfly.

The boots he's wearing make a rhythmic _click,_ _click _on the cobblestone steps as he begins looking around curiously; the courtyard is never this empty.

After a few minutes, a door opens off to the side and a guard comes out with a sandwich in hand, he offers a courteous nod of his head and a, "Your Majesty."

Peter nods and then goes to investigate a patch of dying flowers before turning back to the soldier, "You wouldn't perhaps know where the Lady Adelynn is, would you?"

The dark haired man shakes his head and looks straight into Peter's eyes before saying, "she never returned meh Lord."

And Peter's pretty sure he was falling; that the colors around him were mixing together to form red and then blue and then nothing at all.

His balance is shaky and he's having trouble breathing but he understands the void and confusion he's been feeling since he left.

He closes his eyes tightly trying to make everything just stop moving and then he finds the end to his fall as his body falls back onto the cracked cobblestone walkway.


	20. Brown Tresses

Chap. 20

Brown Tresses

The dreams had continued, every morning she would wake up and find that everything was as she had left it and there would be no tracks left in the grass around her.

She blamed them on the fact that she hadn't talked with anyone now in over two weeks and that she was just feeling lonely.

It hadn't taken her long to find out there was nothing to do in the woods by yourself, she had already built herself a small one roomed shelter to replace her lean-to, and eventually she cracked open her sketch book.

Her fingers had flipped from page to page, occasionally stopping to brush over a certain line, and then she came across the picture that Lucy had attempted to draw of Ed and tears sprung up in the corners of her eyes.

She turned the pages again and again before stopping at one of Pete sitting beside Susan on a bench in the courtyard.

They were arguing yet Pete was smiling, leaning back relaxed and not at all listening to his sister rant on.

Peter.

Her teeth pressed into her lower lip and tears began to roll down her cheeks.

She turned the page to a clean sheet and her fingers wrapped around the charcoal and she allowed her hands to fly across it.

A line here that turned into the contour or his cheek or a dot that would morph its way into an eye, angrily she flipped the page and would begin again attempting to focus on the tree that was in front of her.

"_This_ is not what I need right now!" She yelled angrily up at the sky as the drawing had turned into her reflection with a lost look in her eyes like she was missing something, "I just want to go home, where everything was almost normal and right."

The wind gently caught the ends of her hair and lifted them up, twirling them together.

"I just want to go home."

"Do you think he's going to be okay?"

"…wonder what caused it."

"…surprised we haven't seen Addye in here yet."

"When do ya suppose he'll wake up?"

"…doesn't look so good."

"Look! I think he moved!"

"Pete?"

The blonde blinked his eyes trying to focus.

There she was, smiling at him her finger's gently holding his hands, and her green eyes peering into his, but she was changing.

Her normally olive skin tone was paling into ivory and her lips were red as mulberries, her green eyes turned into a hazel, and her hair shifted to a dark brown.

"Su?" he coughed it out and looked around the room to find his brother and youngest sister sitting there beside the bed.

"Finally!" She breathed a sigh of relief and then wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"You scared us!" Lucy said with a vigorous head nod.

"Deirus said that you fell pretty hard in the courtyard." Ed said without looking at his older brother.

"I'm fine," Peter brushed them off and turned his head to the side.

"You've been out for five hours mate."  
"She's gone Ed." The words come out sounding hollow and detached.

"Sorry…what? Who's gone?" Ed and Susan share a look, but he catches the knowing dread in Su's eyes.

"You knew, you knew didn't you?" The girl's mouth opened and closed a few times but she couldn't make it work.

After a few tries she nodded and the tears began to roll down her cheeks, "yes."

He's shaking his head at her in confusion and his fingers are curled into the fabric of her dress, "Why didn't…why didn't you tell me? Now she's gone and I've got no idea where she is."

"She asked me not to!" And Susan's gasping and sobbing and Pete's sure this is what had been tearing her apart on the hunt now, why she hadn't been able to shoot straight and why she had continuously missed even the simple shots.

Pete nods after a second and pulls her into his arms and comforts her like he did whenever a boy or a friend broke her heart.

Lucy and Ed are looking between each other not sure what's happened or what to do about the change in events.

"Something'd been bothering her and she wouldn't let me help, kept going on about having to go…having ta leave. I'm sorry Pete, honest I am!"

And he just nods mutely and tightens his grip around her shoulder and attempts to fight the tears that have begun accumulating in his eyes.

Fingers brush over her forehead and she knows this time she's not imagining it.

She bolts straight up in her bed-roll and looks around to find nothing yet again.

With an irritant sigh she wrenches herself from the warmth of her blankets and walks from the small hut.

But this time, they're there.

Dancing and being merry and what not, but what strikes her is that they're actually _there!_

Olive, umber, maple, each and every being had a different skin tone than the other.

Many had reed pipes in their hands and all of them had leaves sticking at strange angles from their eccentrically styled hair.

Some were lanky and walked with a certain gait, while others were quite short and stout and more of waddled than anything else.

Addye parts her lips as if to speak before closing them again and glancing around at the collection of beings around her.

They're all laughing and having quite the merry time and she's beginning to wonder if they've even noticed her at all when one with dark hair and eyes looks straight at her and grins.

"Well sister, it is good to see you've decided to join us on this merry night." She's stood from her place in a semi-circle and she's skipping towards the small hut.

"Come, make use of this night. Lively as the stars except better, here have some honey water." The girl is giggling and speaking non-sense, she's sure, but the water is sweet so she doesn't object to being pulled around.

"Do you honestly not recognize me then?" There's a smile playing at the edge of the bronzed girl's smile.

And upon further and closer inspection Addye thinks that the girl really does look quite familiar. The glint in her mischievous eyes that she's only seen in one other pair of eyes is what truly tips her off though.

"Well Pete," she whispers, "I technically didn't break my promise. I didn't go looking for her."

Rayne smiles and turns in a circle, her long brown tresses flowing around her, "Dance with me sister, while the night is still young!"

_She's here._

_Did you see her?_

_Looks just like…_

_Is it time yet?_

_No, not until…_

_Quiet! She hears._

They stop moving and watch as she walks forward her arm linked through Rayne's.

Strange colored eyes follow the two in silence until someone begins playing again and the group is skipping and dancing.

Addye laughs exuberantly as the two girls swing in circles and the clearing of her youth comes to mind.

"Mrs. Helen asked about you, so did Su and the rest of the family." The brunette girl simply smiles and twists into an uncomfortable looking shape.

"Let go of your hurt sister, tonight we rejoice. I know none of whom you speak."

The frail girl smiles tiredly and continues to dance, the look in her sister's eyes pushing her forward.

It was as if she was starving for her acceptance as she threw herself into the wild dance.

She could imagine the disappointment in Peter's eyes as she turned into circles until she couldn't discern anything's true form, but she quickly forgot it.

Two arms catch her and the smile spreads wider across her face as she recognizes the pleased look upon her sister's face.

"Very good Adelynn, very good." She intertwines their fingers and jumps and twirls the two into some seemingly known dance.

One step this way, two that, short leap, lift, turn, right, left, back, twirl, and then abruptly the young nymph stops dancing and reaches for a maple leaf filled with the syrupy water, "Have another drink."

Dizzily Addye takes the drink in her hands and tilts the contents into her mouth.

It overtakes her swiftly and she watches as the shadows that the fire is throwing create shadow puppets behind her eyes.

Everything's starting to go numb.

She wants to scream but she can't even move her jaw because it's too heavy.

Her eyes turn to meet her sister's but instead there's a sneer and red eyes that meet hers.

Eyes close and consciousness goes with it.

King Edmund the Just sighed, for as he was returning to his room with a nice glass of water he noticed that a candle in the study was still lit and there was still a figure half bent over with the fingers of his left hand threaded through greasy hair.

"Pete, you need to go to bed." Ed murmured as he walked slowly into the room.

"…'M fine Ed, just go back to sleep, it's late." The older boy never turns from the map he's been poring over and he continues to trace his finger over an invisible path.

"You haven't been to bed in two days and Su's going to kill me if she realizes that I saw you and didn't force you to go get a few hours of shut eye." He inches closer to his brother and notices that he's grown a decent amount of stubble and that his hair is quite debauched from all of the tugging that it's endured.

"I can't sleep Ed; just go back to bed a'right. I'll be fine."

"They're looking Pete; it's just going to take awhile. Narnia's a big place and all, and we don't exactly know where she went, so that doesn't help. And you being tired isn't going to help matters much either." The dark haired King lowers himself into the chair across from his brother and glances at the map.

"I don't think you get it. It's not that I don't want to sleep…it's that I _can't_. Every time I close my eyes, no matter how briefly, I can see her and she's hurt and screaming and she's begging for help…" His voice breaks and he stops talking.

"I know Pete and I know you don't want to hear this either, but what if she doesn't want to be found?" Edmund bites into his lower lip and watches his brother close his eyes slowly as if it were torturous.

"I don't know Ed, I really don't know."

"Come along Pete." Ed takes his hand and places it below his brother's arm pit and lifts the older boy up.

Defeated, Peter allows himself to be lead from the study and to his room.

"Now don't come out until after at least six, you'll thank me for it." Ed smiles and then pushes the door open.

The elder boy walks into the dark room and blindly feels his way towards the bed before falling onto it.

_It will happen soon._

_We must tell him!_

_No! If we do…_

_She'll never know, just do it!_

_We've tried all we can, he hasn't interpreted the dreams._

_Well he's not going to unless we clarify them for him! How else is he supposed to…_

_Wait! He's moving._

Susan wipes at the tears that are rolling down her swollen cheeks.

It's been three weeks.

Three weeks and no sign of the girl who had become like a sister to her.

Ed was being the mediator for the family because Peter wouldn't meet her eyes and Lucy had taken to sitting mutely in the courtyard next to Trumpkin.

She wishes she could explain the desperation that she'd seen overwhelmingly pouring out from Addye's eyes but it was impossible, and they wouldn't listen even if she tried.

Narnia's coming back together well under Caspian's rule, the crops are growing better than they ever have, the citizens are happy, and there's no war.

Central government is growing stronger with the combined strength of both the Telmarines and the Narnians.

But in the castle it seemed as if everything unrelated to politics was drifting apart.

She stands abruptly from her place in front of her vanity mirror and knocks over a vial of perfumed oil.

Angrily, she sets it back upright and dabs at the spilt oil with a cloth.

She would fix this, all she needed was logic.

_Watch, see how they're all drifting?_

_We must do something soon!_

_Can't we watch a little longer?_

_I don't think we have much more time._

_Something must be done._

_But who will do it?_

"Hmm, hooo, hmm, heh, hmm, hoo" Lucy hums quietly as she sits with her arms wrapped around her knees.

"_Oh, I wish that Addye had never come with us to Narnia!"_ The thought races through her head while in her heart she knows it isn't so.

In her heart she cares for the older girl deeply, but she knows this trip would've been much smoother without a fifth traveler.

"I wish you never would've run off." She whispers as she looks off into the horizon, "I wish that I could wake and find that this was all just a bad dream."

Longingly, she squeezes her eyes shut tight and then slowly opens them again just to slump her shoulders and sigh, "Oh Aslan, please help!"

_It's happening! It's happening!_

_Why have we waited so long?_

_I told you we should've taken action sooner!_

_We must tell him._

The carefree girl giggles as she wraps her fingers around the honey cake.

Her heart feels so free, so in tune with everything around her.

The girl seated next to her smiles and gently pats her knee, "Eat up sister, you will need your health."

When the older girl stands and walks away, the blonde throws the bread to the ground and smashes it beneath her foot.

She can't remember how long she's been here because it seems as if the day and night never end and never meet.

A glance down at her hands tells her that something's not right; they're not the color they're supposed to be.

She turns her wrist just so and catches the green tint that her skin has started to acquire in the light.

She looks up and notes that the leaves on the surrounding trees have started to change colors.

Slowly she reaches up and gently brushes her hand over a strand of her hair just to find daisies braided in.

She notices that there are at least seventeen of the wood elves dancing and enjoying life in the clearing but she can't remember why they're there or if they ever told her in the first place.

Panicking it comes to her all of a sudden, she doesn't know who she is.

Quietly she rises from her seat of a felled log and she began dancing with the others noting that their moves had a certain pattern to them that she seemed to have learned.

She's raking her brain but she can't remember, something's off.

The brunette girl is standing next to her and laughing, "Are you enjoying yourself sister?"

With a nod of a head and an over exuberant giggle she nods, "Yes, most definitely!"

The other girl seems pleased with the answer, "Would you like anything to drink? More honey water?"

"Not yet, maybe later. There's dancing to be done!" This time there's a flash of disproval.

Yes, something is extremely wrong.

It comes back in full force as her mind reconnects with England.

Big Ben had said it so clearly on the day she had arrived at Polly's house with the Pevensie's, _Wrong, wrong, wrong._

Polly.

Pevensie's.

A rush of blood to the head.

With a sharp intake of breath she turned in a tight circle and took Rayne's hands in her own, "Come sister, dance!"

_Wrong!_

A forced smile and a glint of _something_ in the older girl's eyes and finally she was recognizing the warning signs.

Slender fingers wind their way around her throat and a thumb is pressing against her windpipe.

Rayne's got the water in her hands and is walking forward slowly with a smile, "Come sister, drink with us."

_Wrong, wrong, wrong!_


	21. Just Checking

So this is the second to last chapter. I'm considering maybe writing a sequel, but I make no promises. I had originally had a whole storyline for this that actually flowed but I lost all of it so I apologize if this story has seemed botched and confusing for the past nine or so chapters. Umm, so enjoy and I really appreciate all of you for following, commenting, favoriting, and down right just reading this story. It means a lot more to me than you can possibly know.

Much love to the readers,

~Liv

Chapter 21

Just Checking

When she woke she felt as if her head was being pounded in with a mallet.

Her eyes cracked open and she reeled at the blinding pain that the sun inflicted upon her.

Upon trying to cover her face with her hand she found them restrained; bound together and pinned against the ground.

Sharp stabbing sensations were sent throughout her body as she tried to move.

They force the drink down her throat and cackle in twisted pleasure when she chokes and splutters upon it.

It burns its way down her throat in a trail of misery and tears.

When she tries to scream they beat their cold slimy hands against her skin, leaving cuts and bruises that burn as if they were on fire.

_Rayne._

_Where is Rayne?_

The logical part of her mind searches for the girl, but no matter what she does she can't seem to locate her.

Blinking didn't bring clarity to her vision but only increased the shadows that swam in her vision.

Where is Rayne?

Pain so much pain.

She squeezes her eyes shut and forces herself into unconsciousness.

"_She must drink it, even if you have to force it down her throat. She was almost with us again!"_

"_We cannot make her drink without her consent, she's holding onto something and she won't let it go."_

"_Well break her already! We don't have much time left."_

Their hands show no mercy even in sleep they scratch and pull.

There is warmth spreading through her limbs for some reason unknown to her yet the pain never ceases.

It's cold.

So cold.

Lucy awoke screaming and grasping her chest.

Tears streaming down her face she jumped from her bed and ran towards the doors that lead into the council room.

Caspian looked up in surprise, silenced the lords, and went to her.

"Lucy?" The youngest Pevensie wrapped her arms around his midsection and wept.

"Aslan…he is in much pain!" She said between sobs.

Shaking his head slowly he murmured quietly, "I…I do not understand."

"H-he said his daughter cries and no one hears her. That through her pain many see her but none go to her! He says that he has many helpers but none have tried to help her." Lucy released a strangled sob and buried her face into his chest.

"She cries yet no one hears, many see her pain but none attend her, there are many helpers but none help her."Caspian presses his hand to his forehead for a moment.

"Glenstorm, please tell me someone sent scouts to Owlwood."

The centaur looked at him for a moment before shaking his head, "The only things to be found in Owlwood are troublesome nymphs that even the Narnians prefer to not have dealings with."

"We didn't check…no one hears, they don't listen; many see and none attend, they're selfish; many helpers but none help her, we've sent out many men but none to where she is! Glenstorm, see that the men who returned from the Waste head out immediately! Lu, I think we've found her."

"Peter?" she whispered when she looked up at him.

He shook his head slowly, "Not yet."

Susan's fingers tighten the laces below her knee before pulling them into a careful bow. Dropping her dress skirts, she draws her hand gently to her stomach; she can feel it within her, there's something wrong with how simple this appears. After all this time this can't be it.

With a nod she drops her hand and quickly walks from the room.

Caspian shoots her a look when she mounts, but they've been over this so many times that its useless even attempting to argue.

She sobs when they drag her beaten body across protruding roots.

She can't go on any more; they've flogged her, cut her, whipped her, and starved her.

Her mouth is dry and her entire being aches for just a drop of water.

_Water_

The thought comes to her and she knows what they're doing.

Her mind returns to the lake and the Lechmere that had confronted her there.

They're trying to kill her first.

"_Rayne!"_ She sobs out the name and it feels like she vomiting sand paper as she does so.

The agile nymph settles beside her and teasingly takes a slow swig from the wineskin on her hip.

With aching slowness she draws the back of her wrist across her mouth and then smiles, "What is it that my dearest little sister requires now? Honey cakes, bandages, _water?_"

"P…please!" And she would cry if there was any extra water left in her system but she's so dry that her joints ache at the slightest movement.

Rayne's blood red lips curl into a smirk as she drags a deftly sharpened nail into the cuts that have formed on her sister's wrists.

A cry of pain is the price of having the water she so desires poured onto the ground in front of her.

The nymph smiles, sickening and sweatly, and skips away.

That night when she begs for death they give her another lash of their barbed whips.

Her body hangs limply from their whipping post and she cries for deliverance from Aslan and she feels a small comfort build within her.

Again and again she repeats his name and she feels a safety that doesn't go away as they dig their fiery nails into her already burning flesh.

Hysterically, she laughs as the fresh tang of blood forms in her mouth and her right eye closes from swelling.

She knows that it won't be much longer now.

Her other eye closes and her head falls back as she blacks out.

"They're planning something," Peter says slamming his brother's door as he enters the younger's room.

"Umm remind me, who exactly?" He asks quietly as he rubs sleep from his eyes.

"Caspian, he knows something, Lu too, I can tell by the way the two of them avoid my gaze whenever I'm speaking directly to them. You know how Lucy is, someone asks her to keep a secret and she gets jittery, and she is and I know that she's keeping it from me."

"Pete, you can't honestly know that." Edmund pulls himself into a seated position and runs his hand through his debauched hair.

Defeated the older boy sits down on the edge of his brothers bed, "I don't know what to do any more Ed. I can't keep going like this."

For a moment the other is quiet as if he is carefully considering the words before he says anything, "Pete, maybe it's time."

Peter's shoulder's slump but he says nothing so Edmund continues, "You said it yourself, you can't keep going like this so it's either keep letting itt eat you away or for you to take the upper hand and just let her go."

Ed was ready for a fighting match but wasn't' ready for the two simple words that he received instead, "I know."

"You…you do?"

The blonde nods and gently squeezes his brother's arm, "Yeah, thanks."

He stands slowly and nods before leaving the room and quietly closing the door.

As Edmund falls back upon the bed he wonders aloud, "I'm not sure I'll ever understand his version of sorted."

A week later finds Susan crouched low as she scouts the area that she's been assigned to. It's not a rescue mission but when she sees the green forest stained red she has to fight herself not to make it one. They have to locate Addye before they can bring in the heavy artillery, what can actually save her. There's a small hut in a clearing and there's discarded meaningless objects like flutes and reeds, but the sight of the dried blood on the trunk of a tree gives her a sweeping feeling of nausea.

Tears trek slowly down her face and she wonders what or who could truly do this.

Glenstorm rests his hand gently on her shoulder, it's time to go back.

They'll report their findings and come back with more people as is protocol.

They ride in silence, she knows that he's seen something that she missed and she doesn't really want to know how much worse it is.

They're back at the castle by dusk and she reports that she's their and that going back isn't optional but mandatory.

Caspian looks at Glenstorm before giving any order, still seeking confirmation that what she's seen is true.

Glenstorm clears his throat before beginning, "It would appear that it is the nymphs who have her, but if I'm correct in my assumptions than the tree folk aren't our only concern. Lachmere nymphs have been moving east towards the wood for weeks now but we paid them no mind before. They're not far now, less than six hours at most."

Susan watches as the color drains from Caspian's face and she knows that hers' looks the same.

She's running before he even gives the order to head out.

Her hands are banging on every door and she's yelling herself hoarse telling them to get up.

Lucy is out of hers' and running to Edmund's screaming that they have to leave now.

When Susan gets to Peter's room it's empty and she's hollering his name desperately.

"Susan, can I help you?" Peter asks, looking alarmed to see his sister banging on his door, as he comes up the hall.

"They're gonna kill her, we have to go now!" She screams uncontrollably as she grabs onto his wrist and drags him towards the stables.

"Kill…Su what're you going on about?" He's obviously confused and Susan laughs quietly, "Who else Pete?"

She watches the light register in his eyes and the black veil that comes over his face.

He mounts and is off before Susan can figure out what's happened.

She vomits the remaining bile in her stomach and her head lolls to the right where she can see their blue forms wiggling up from the river towards her.

It won't be long.

She can hear the tree nymphs screaming hysterically as the Lechmere move further onto the grass.

When one reaches her, it moves it's slimy hands over her open wounds before sinking it's needle teeth into her forearm.

She thought that she had known pain when they'd beaten her body until she couldn't kneel let alone stand, but when the poison begins to flow throughout her veins she knows that she hasn't felt anything yet.

It's like fire and ice all at once and she cries to Aslan for deliverance and then it seems as if they came like a cavalry when she needed them most.

They cored, sliced, chopped and mutilated every wild nymph and Lechmere in their way and chased away all the rest.

Peter had knelt down and cut her from her bondages, sliced a few rogue nymphs, and was now he was as far away from her as he could be while still being in her line of vision.

She can't really concentrate on that though because she gasping for oxygen as she can feel the poison moving to her heart.

Lucy is kneeling next to her mutilated body forcing her to open her mouth and drink the drop of red liquor.

The pain seems to recede back to the place it had all formed and she watches as the bite mark on her arm oozes out a blue-grey liquid.

She lies still on the ground though knowing that it will be impossible to move without falling apart.

Her eyes look at the fallen nymph next to her and she recognizes everything about it.

No.

Not everything.

This nymph that claimed Rayne's name was not her sister, her sister was dead and buried in a cemetery in Britain.

She reaches out and gently closes the startled eyes that are looking out at her.

She allows her eyes to seek out Peter.

It wasn't the greeting she'd expected from him.

She'd be lying if she didn't say she had expected him to run towards her for him to hold her.

What she hadn't expected was for him to stand across the clearing from her and lean up against a tree and stare at her in disbelief.

Addye reached out to him and croaked, "Pete?"

"You okay?" It's hollow and emotionless and it brings tears to her eyes.

"Yeah…I gu-guess."

He nods and then stands up straight and makes to leave.

She goes to call after him but what would she say, that she was scared and didn't want to lose him? She knew that she had no right.

She squeezes her eyes together and goes to turn her head towards the reeking bile on her other side, when he calls to her, "Do you ever think of anyone but yourself?"

With a quavering voice she manages to call back, "Wh…what?"

"What I mean is, you never seem to think of what effect your actions will have on those who you leave behind. I was curious if you even thought of what others might think…" His voice trails off and silence hangs thickly between them.

_Or feel._

He doesn't say it but she can feel them hanging in the air.

She withdraws a sharp breath and gapes for a moment before just barely shaking her head, "No…I mean yes, but usually it's better if I just…go."

Addye's vision becomes clouded but she keeps her gaze on him.

"Just checking," he whispers the words quietly and walks past Susan swiftly.

Susan kneels next to Addye and stretches out her hand, "Come on Addye, let's go back."

She glances back to Peter's receding form and sighs taking the other girls hand silently, allowing her to take her weight into her arms.

"He'll get better, it's like this with him though; on and off, push and shove. You just added a new aspect that he's not used to." Susan attempts to be reassuring but you can hear the uncertainty behind her words.

Addye shrugs and says exactly what she believes to be true, "I think…that this is it for us Su; a parting of ways, if you will. I don't think that it'll ever work between us again. I broke something that was already fragile and balancing precariously on the edge of a shelf. I don't blame anyone besides myself."

She gives a slight nod of confirmation before squeezing her eyes shut.

Susan's mouth opens and closes a few times before she bites carefully into her lower lip.

They help her onto the back of Nanaea and Addye gently brushes her fingers over the horse's hide before passing out against Edmund's back.


	22. Disappointments in London

Author's Note: This is the last chapter everyone. This is where my baby comes to the end of its childhood and flies from the nest. I may do a story that deals with the Pevensie's while they're in school and then go onto establish a relationship between Peter and Addye while he's studying at university and living with them since that forces them to be together in small confines together. Anyways please do enjoy and feel free to leave a comment because that is the fuel to my stories working. A car can't go without gas/diesel and an author can't go without knowing her story has actually been worth her putting so much effort into it. Go ahead, read on!

~Liv

* * *

"We'll go," Peter stepped forward as Aslan looked towards their group.

Edmund glanced at him in surprise, "We will?"

"Come on. Our time's up," Peter nods after a moment and walks to Caspian as his hands work on removing his sword from his belt, "Besides, we're not needed here anymore."

Caspian takes the sword with a somber nod, "I will look after it until your return."

Susan in her quiet beauty spoke up, soft at first and then strong and firm at the end, "I'm afraid that's just it-we're not coming back."

Lucy looked to Peter startled, "We're not?"

He gently shook his head, "You two are-At least, I think he means you two."

Lucy sought Aslan's eyes in almost desperation, "But why-did they do something wrong?"

"Quite the opposite, dear one. But all things have their time. Your brother and sister have learned all they can from this world. Now it's time for them to live in their own."

"It's alright, Lu. It's not how I thought it would be, but it's alright. One day you'll see too. Come on."

"But-but Aslan what about Addye, surely she'll be able to come back with us. She's only been once!"

Addye gently shook her head, "I've learned what I was to also, Lu. It's alright though, in all aspects I can say at least I was able to come once."

Aslan smiled and nodded at her, "She's learned much in her time here."

"Come, let's say goodbye to everyone," Edmund murmured taking his sister by the elbow.

As a collective group the five young people walked to those whom they had grown to love. Lucy was whimpering quietly as she went to Trumpkin and curtseys before embracing the small man in her arms. Peter grasped Glenstorm's forearm in a final parting before he bid fair well to the others he had become close with. The group passed by each of their friends until they came to stand in a line with only Susan and Caspian left.

They seemed to have a complete conversation before either person had said a word.

Their eyes connected and it seemed like they were passing their souls across into the other's.

"I'm glad I came back," she finally said with a gentle nod.

"I wish we had more time together." Caspian nodded as well as he tried to restrain his hands.

Susan glanced away from him for a moment before returning her eyes to his, "It never would have worked you know."

"Why not?"

With a gentle smile she took a single step back, "I am 1300 years older than you."

She turned to walk away before turning back and kissing him and then she allowed him to pull her into a hug.

"I'm sure when I'm older I'll understand," Lucy murmured quietly to her brothers.

"I'm older and I don't think I want to understand." Edmund joked.

Peter looked over his siblings eyes and connected them with Addye's for just a moment before they both turned away.

After a few moments Susan rejoined her family and looked on to those standing in front of her.

Addye would like to say that she's excited to be going back, to see her father and aunts again, but she can't find it within her. Her eyes slowly pass over the Narnians that she had loved for the past three years, attempting to memorize their faces in those last few minutes. And silently she watches as slow tears make their way down her friends'-her _family's _faces. Lucy's smiling bravely and Edmund is doing that shuffle with his feet that he does when he's upset but doesn't want to show it physically. Susan's eyes are glistening as her pale beauty cast a beautiful shadow upon her people for the final time and Peter-Peter had never looked so kingly as he did at this moment in time. His shoulders rolled back as he stood in perfect posture with a calm serene look upon his face, a small quirk and the left corner of his mouth pulled up as he looked across at the land he had always thought as being his home. What completed the picture was the sun glinting off of his golden hair and creating an almost surreal picture of a king in his greatest majesty.

Aslan nods and the group walk away from Narnia forever as they walk towards the great untwisted tree. Addye took a deep breath and watched as the bark around her turned into the walls of the train station. Lucy turned to look behind her at the last moment, hoping to take in a final glance of Narnia but it was too late.

Addye glances all around her looking at the things that had been so normal to her but were now so foreign. She hears the train stop and people begin to bored and then they're all snapped out of their stupor when a strange looking boy called out to Susan.

"Are you coming Phyllis?" They all glanced at her confused as they scrambled to grab all of their luggage and board the train.

Edmund began rummaging through his messenger bag in confusion before turning to his brother, "Do you think there's any way we can get back?"

Peter shakes his head in confusion as he looks at his brother attempting to understand the question without saying anything.

"I've left my new torch in Narnia!"

The group laughed quietly and then all attempted to find seats.

The blonde girl stared silently out of the window and contemplated everything that had happened, three years was a long time but she wouldn't have traded it for anything.

"_Aslan, did I…did I come to Narnia by accident? Was I not meant to come? It seems as if all I've caused is trouble, I know I wasn't even worth it either."_

"_Dear one, first I must inform you that you are worth the entire world to me. You are my daughter and you are more precious to me than any stone or amount of money. Nothing you could have done could cause me to love you any less. And secondly, I make no mistakes, you would not have come to this land if I had not wanted you here to learn. All things have a purpose and that was yours for being here."_

_With a nod and a gentle smile she ran her fingers gently through his mane, "thank you Aslan-for everything. I just wish…the dream I'd had had seemed so real."_

"_Not all things have come to pass that will, some things that you saw within your dream may yet come to happen within your own world. You shall not see Narnia again."_

She had gasped then and struggled to find words because there was joy among so much disappointment and utter heart break, but she hadn't found any then.

She had simply kissed his cheek and nodded walking up the stairs and told Susan and Peter that Aslan would like to speak with them.

And now they were here on a train that rattled and shook and trembled and wasn't in the slightest like riding on a graceful and majestic horse.

"I don't think I've ever been so disappointed about being in London." She muttered quietly to herself.

"Not long until we're back at your Da's for Christmas holiday." Addye looked up to find Edmund seated next to her.

"I s'pose." It was quiet and vague but at the moment she was so confused and out of sorts that home was the last thing on her mind.

"You'll find the transition is easier than you wish it would be, it's unsettling really." He turns to the window and watches the wild land pass them by.

"I wish it wasn't, I already miss the extravagance of all the Narnians and the simplicity of life there."

He nodded, "I know, life just seemed better-easier there."

"I look up to you, you know." Addye said as she turned to the quiet boy.

Looking quite shocked and a little confused he laughed as he asked, "Really, why?"

"You were really the only one with a head on you this time around, and then the way you defeated the witch who was your greatest complication from last time…it really was inspiring."

Edmund smiled modestly, "I learned a lot last time…about what not to do and what to do. Janine, she taught me more than I had ever thought about before."

Quietly Addye sighed, "It must have been really hard to lose her."

He nodded slowly, "It-it was probably the most difficult thing that I've ever been through. Janine was, as cliché as it may sound, my complete other half and it felt as if half of me had died."

"I'm sorry that you lost her. Pe-Peter told me a bit about her not long after we started staying in the castle. She sounded precious."

Ed nodded his fingers gently pressing against his chest where she knew that two rings were hanging from a delicate chain, "I loved her so."

His eyes glazed over as he turned his head back towards the window, undoubtedly remembering the woman who he had loved so dearly.

Addye smiled and turned back to the window also turning to look out of the window as well.

Slowly the sun set until there were only dark silhouettes of the trees to be seen from the windows.

It was as if the stars didn't want to shine and the moon didn't want to be seen.

In her mind it was as if even the sky was letting them mourn leaving the beautiful nights of Narnia.

Her eyes wandered over to where Peter was standing, his eyes fixated on the glass that separated him from the fresh grass and wild flowers that he knew was rushing past them.

Edmund whistled quietly, "You miss him don't you?"

"Sometimes I wish that I hadn't made such a ridiculous mistake, I miss how close we were. Those last two years we barely said anything to each other. It was as if I were living with a mute who hated me, I miss him terribly." She smiled tiredly, "But I did make a mistake so I'll deal with the consequences."

He nodded gently, "I wish I'd come to that conclusion as quickly as you just did. Oh we're not far from the schools now; you can see their horrible spires sticking up like pitchforks in the nights sky."

A glance out of the window confirmed this and she watched as the two dreadful buildings grew larger and larger until they were all of the sudden just looming above them as if they were giant vultures waiting for the children to drop dead so they could devour them.

Addye wrapped her arms around the boy who had become very much like a brother to her and hugged him tightly, "See you over the weekend Ed."

Lucy and Susan had come and stood next to her, "Ready Addye? The sooner we start the faster it will go by."

"Am I the only one intimidated by this?" Addye murmured quietly.

"Oh no!" Lucy said while shaking her head vigorously quickly back and forth, "I hate it when we come here, it's simply like putting a centaur in a stable and telling him to stay put. The whole thought of this type of school is just wrong, being pulled away from your home and kept in a jail cell of a dormitory. I really wish we could stay home as it used to be and have Mum teach us."

Peter joined the group and looked each of the girls in their eyes, "Be good, follow the rules, study hard, and don't get in trouble."

He pulled his sisters into quick hugs and pecked them on the cheeks, "I'll see you over the weekend."

He hesitated as he stood in front of Addye and she smiled and wrapped her arms around his middle, "Try not to be too miserable to anyone Pete."

"As long as you don't run away," he'd whispered it so only she could hear and he hugged her gently as well.

He stepped away and nodded.

"See you over the weekend Pete." She turned and each of the Pevensie sisters took one of her hands.

"It's time to start a new chapter," Susan said sounding almost bitter, "A real one."

"Narnia was real too Su, it was obviously real enough to make us realize what was important and what we were doing incorrectly." Lucy said with a bright smile.

Addye's eyes met Peter's and she watched as his lips curved into a gentle smile.

"Oh! By the way, Su, who's Phyllis?" Edmund asked as he leaned towards his sister.

* * *

Author's Note P.S. I would like to thank everyone who has read this story, given a review, favorited it, or alerted yourself to it. In all honesty it means a lot. I almost didn't want to end it, I wanted to keep it going and going so I wouldn't have to acknowledge that my brother's last written work would come to an end. I have a few last stories that the two of us wrote together that I will upload later, but for now I'll be stingy and keep them to myself. Besides that I have one last thing to say, I greatly hope that this story (and within it Addye) has not been a detestable Mary-Sue. I hope that she had enough depth and character and humanity to her that she was realistic and that her diabetes was enough of a cripple that it made her even more human. Once again, thank you to everyone for everything they've contributed to this story.

Thank you


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